The debate around the mask does not fall to the United States.

With the new outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic, opposition continues to be sharp on the line to be followed between the different governors.

Some people oppose any measure aimed at making it compulsory despite the recommendations of the health authorities.

The confrontation is not new.

At the start of the epidemic, the mask had quickly become a symbol of political affiliation: Donald Trump then made a point of showing himself as little as possible with his face covered.

A year later, the subject is still particularly sensitive as the start of the school year approaches.

Threats in Florida

The Republican Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, for example, has banned schools in his state from requiring students to wear masks.

Several school districts have announced that they want to challenge his order.

In return, he threatened to cut funds to rebel schools or even to stop paying the salaries of school officials involved in these decisions.

In May, vaccinated Americans were able to say goodbye to the mask, as health officials felt they could safely take it off. In early July, the country's main public health agency (CDC) assured that this recommendation would also apply in classes at the start of the school year for vaccinated children. But that was counting without the Delta variant. As a result, at the end of July the mask is again recommended indoors for vaccinated people, in regions where the circulation of the virus is important. That is almost 90% of the country.

The epidemic is also currently particularly virulent in the south-east of the country.

Precisely where the states are among the least vaccinated.

But "unvaccinated people are also less likely to wear the mask," said Eric Cioe-Pena, public health expert at Northwell Health.

In Arkansas, Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson had imposed the wearing of a mask during the epidemic peak this winter.

But when cases dwindled, he finally lifted it and, under pressure from a very conservative local government, signed a law prohibiting the re-imposition of such an obligation in the future.

There are not "two countries"

In Texas, as in Florida, Republican Governor Greg Abbott has banned schools from requiring masks.

And again, several school districts announced that they would do it anyway.

Same scenario in Arizona.

On the contrary, in New York or even in Illinois, democratic states, all schoolchildren must wear a mask.

"We behave as if there are two countries," said Nahid Bhadelia, director of the Center for Research on Emerging Infectious Diseases at Boston University.

“But the sad thing is that it isn't.

Because what happens in the south of the country will affect the north ”.

There are still a few days to find common ground before the start of the school year.

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