Breaking Points debates mask mandates

Saager is of course against government mandates as intrusive to our rights. He thinks local communities should decide. He said the CDC's own studies proved inconclusive that masking doesn't really prevent Covid transmission. He also thinks the risk profile for children is minimal.

Unfortunately Krystal agrees that the studies aren't convincing in that regard but we should err on the side of safety. But she agrees that local communities should be the ones to decide, as she too is opposed to the States deciding mandates one way or the other.

First of all, both Saager and Krystal are wrong on the data about masking. The latest CDC science brief on it is adamant that it is highly effective for reducing transmission, citing numerous studies. This is also so for schools, contradicting what Saager said about the CDC's evidence.  

We are seeing right now that some States have the mandates, some States ban them, and local communities defy both of them. The latter all depends on which States and communities are controlled by liberals or conservatives. And those that are against masking, especially with low vax rates, are showing real-time data that infection, hospitalization and death rates are skyrocketing in a direct cause-effect relationship. And this includes increases in all those categories for children too.

Given the above we need federal mandates, both for masking and vaccination. We should not even leave it up to States to decide, let alone local communities. We need a national policy if we ever hope to see an end to this pandemic. And now that we have Biden in charge of the Executive we need him to order the CDC to do it. The CDC's evidence is clear that is what is needed so we just need our leaders to have the political will to do it. Let them hear from you.