Topline
The rapid spread of the Delta variant is causing health officials to rethink what had been a long trend of loosening Covid restrictions, leading some cities to reinstate mask mandates for all residents—regardless of vaccine status.
New Orleans once again has a mask mandate in place, regardless of vaccination status.
Key Facts
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell (D) announced Friday the city was reinstating its mask mandate, requiring residents to wear masks in indoor, public places.
Washington, D.C. plans to reinstate its mask mandate at 5 a.m. Saturday morning.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) issued a mask mandate on Wednesday that applies to all residents 10 and older.
Kansas City will once again have a mask mandate starting at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, requiring all residents older than 5 to wear masks.
St. Louis reinstated a similar mandate at the beginning of this week.
Nevada’s new mask mandate went into effect on Friday for the state's 12 counties with "substantial or high transmission," which includes Clark County—the home of Las Vegas.
Savannah, Georgia, put a mask mandate into effect this week requiring all residents to wear a mask when they are indoors and not around immediate family.
The Cape Cod community of Provincetown, Massachusetts, reinstated its mask mandate on Sunday following a massive post-Independence Day coronavirus surge.
Los Angeles County was the first major U.S. locality to reinstate a mandate, which went into effect on July 17.
Key Background
In a major reversal of earlier guidance, the CDC on Tuesday urged fully vaccinated Americans to start masking up again in parts of the country with high coronavirus transmission rates, which as of Wednesday included most of the southern and western United States. In May, the CDC said fully vaccinated Americans no longer needed to wear masks or social distance in almost all circumstances, a move that caught many off guard at the time. But a massive spike in coronavirus cases caused by the Delta variant and what CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky described as a "worrisome" trend of breakthrough infections among the fully vaccinated were enough to merit a change in guidelines. Most cities, apart from those listed above, are opting to use the new guidance as just that, though—guidance—rather than to actually put broad mask mandates in place. Many localities for now are just strongly encouraging mask-wearing, with some even opting to put an unenforceable "mask advisory" in place.
Contra
Laws have been passed in at least six states that restrict local governments from putting mask mandates in place. A full list can be found here.
Chief Critic
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt (R) has filed a lawsuit aimed at blocking the St. Louis mask mandate. He's also vowing to take legal action against Kansas City.
Further Reading
St. Louis The Latest City Tightening Covid Guidelines—See Full List (Forbes)
With Cases Rising, Los Angeles Will Reinstate Indoor Mask Mandate Saturday (Forbes)
