South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster lifted his state’s mask mandate Friday, no longer requiring face coverings be worn in government offices or restaurants, a measure put in place in July. He recommended state residents wear masks in situations where social distancing was not a viable option. The same day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study reiterating the effectiveness of mask mandates and bans on indoor dining in slowing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Director Rachel Wolensky said, “You have decreases in cases and deaths when you wear masks, and you have increases in cases and deaths when you have in-person restaurant dining.” Previous studies by the CDC and major universities have come to similar conclusions, often by comparing states run by governors who disdained mask mandates and states that implemented them. Texas also rescinded its mask mandate earlier this week. New daily cases nationwide are declining as vaccinations accelerate, but experts warn that the U.S. is plateauing in a dangerous place that could prime it for another surge.
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