With the start of a new presidential administration, things seem to change in a hurry. This remains true in 2021, as the inauguration of President Biden has been accompanied by reversals of former president Trump’s policies, as well as entirely new policies and guidelines. With that being said: what about mask policies? During the presidential debates, Biden wanted federal guidelines on preventing the spread of COVID, including a federal mask mandate. Now, after numerous executive orders, face coverings are required on all federal property, including airports, train stations, and buses (White House). In addition, fines will be met for those unwilling to comply with the new guidelines, with penalties ranging from $250-1400, according to the TSA. In addition to this, there has been speculation over the Biden administration’s stance on “double masking” which essentially means wearing a second mask over your first one. This idea has been met with support from those who believe double masking significantly reduces COVID transmission, while opponents would rather see a greater focus on getting everybody to wear one mask. Regardless, rumors are going around that the Biden Administration is making double masking a federal requirement, but that has not happened. What is true is that the CDC is promoting the idea of double masking on their website as a way of increasing your protection against COVID. While the CDC clearly believes in the effectiveness of this idea, it has not been implemented as a policy. Moreover, one currently cannot be fined or penalized for not wearing a second mask in public. Thus, if you see someone out in public wearing two masks, it likely means that they feel like it protects them more, but you yourself cannot be punished for only wearing one.
Riley Dulin - Staff Writer