Last week, Greg Abbott released an executive order that will end the statewide mask mandate in Texas on March 10th. Governor Abbott’s actions will soon make Texas the sixteenth state that doesn’t require the use of a face covering.  In addition, Governor Kay Ivey has announced that the state of Alabama will stop requiring mask use after April 9th. Both governors cited an overall decrease in hospitalizations and cases as justification for these new regulations. Once the mask mandate is lifted, individuals from the aforementioned states will be able to remain maskless in public spaces, and it will be up to local legislators and businesses to decide whether or not to impose their own mask mandate. Many will likely rejoice in their newfound freedom, but this increased independence could lead to dangerous consequences. 

Lifting the mask mandate would lead to more maskless people, which could lead to a resurgence of COVID-19 cases. As a result, several high-ranking officials have come forth and expressed their disagreement with these new policies. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief medical advisor to the president stated that “when you pull back on measures of public health, invariably you’ve seen a surge back up.” He thought that governors’ decision was “premature” and risky. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky had a similar response. She told NPR host Ari Shapiro that “If things open up if we’re not extremely cautious, we could end up with a post-spring break surge the way we saw a post-Christmas surge. We could see much more disease. We could see much more death.” Relaxing regulations at this point could erase all of the progress that we’ve made. It’s important to proceed with caution when faced with the dangers of a deadly pandemic.

The resurgence of COVID-19 that could result from the end of the mask mandate could lead to a re-emergence of anti-Asian sentiment. When the pandemic first hit the United States, members of the Asian community were blamed for the resulting shutdown and loss of life because the virus originated in Asia. Some individuals received threats or were assaulted in the streets. Recently, a new wave of hate crimes against Asians has swept across the Bay Area. In one instance, a ninety-one-year-old man was violently pushed to the ground. A spike in COVID-19 cases could definitely increase the prevalence of xenophobic ideas and lead to more attacks on Asians.

Although there are valid risks that come with these relaxed regulations, we also have to recognize that there are also important benefits. People all over the country are tired of wearing masks and following copious mandates while trying to navigate through their daily lives. Now that COVID-19 cases are rapidly decreasing and more vaccine doses are being distributed, citizens are rallying for more freedom. In Texas, the number of new COVID-19 cases has fallen to the lowest point since March 2020; the state has also managed to vaccinate a majority of its elderly population. Texas governor Greg Abbott stated that Texans “No longer need government running [their] lives.” Lifting mask mandates could allow some people to see some level of normalcy in their hectic lives. Businesses in Texas can return to full capacity, which would allow employees and small business owners to regain economic stability and support their families. A gradual return to a normal state of affairs could help bring people the peace of mind that was lost during the height of the pandemic. Socially distancing and living in such a different and isolated way caused an immense negative impact on the mental health of many. With these restrictions lifted, people can go to public places and interact with others more freely. The mandates have been around for a long time and impacted many people; one Twitter user shared her disbelief: ”We’ve literally been told to stay inside and hide from germs for a year. I still can’t believe this is reality.” It’s been around a year since a frightening virus struck America and strict regulations were put in place, so this change can have a great positive effect for many.

The COVID-19 regulations have had debilitating effects on the mental state and livelihood of many people, but have protected millions from the virus. Lifting regulations might benefit people’s mental health and businesses, but it could also cause another surge of cases. A rise in cases would not only affect people’s general health and safety but also push for more xenophobia against Asian people. In fact, lifting regulations too early may just force us to follow stricter regulations in the future. The risks that arise from the termination of these public health policies are far too dangerous for these policies to be worthwhile. Even though social distancing and mask mandates deteriorate mental health and economic health, they prevent a significantly more severe threat to our physical health. Although there’s not much that can be done once the legislation is signed, there are steps that we can take to keep everyone safe. Continue to wear a mask and keep social distancing, even if others stop doing so. If we can stay strong in the coming months while vaccines are being distributed, we can ensure that the COVID-19 pandemic becomes a part of our past and not our future.