Vax Up or Mask Up: New Mask Mandates and Vaccine Requirements
I know you’re probably thinking the world is back to normal so, why are we still talking about masks? In many parts of the world, Covid-19 is still running rampant and the death toll continues to rise. Now, in the US, the cases are seemingly dropping due to the Covid-19 vaccines. According to the Covid-19 Vaccine tracker for the NY Government, New York 61% of the population has started the vaccine series and 56% of the state is fully vaccinated. That being said there are still a few hundred positive cases of Covid-19 reported in NYC alone, but for the most part, the City is returning to “normal.”
On July 1st, NYC fully opened up. The city removed curfews and lowered capacity regulations which were set from the aftermath of quarantine. Movie theatres, clubs, and airports have been open and packed. In the past few weeks, the city has been busier than ever, and people have not been wearing masks. People who are not vaccinated are supposed to continue wearing their masks inside, but if you’re vaccinated you don’t have to. You might even have a “who the hell cares” attitude if you’re vaccinated. But, what does this mean for the city? Will everything really be normal?
Many bars, lounges, and clubs have required proof of vaccination via the NYC Vaccination passports. Any recipient of the vaccine in NYC can download the app for free, type in their credentials, and have a digital version of their vax card. With proof of vaccination is required not only are fake IDs making their way back on the scene but fake vax cards and passports.
Here’s the problem, if you fake your vaccination card and have not been vaccinated you run the risk of being exposed to Covid which as we know can be fatal and can contribute to the spread of Covid to others. It’s important to get vaccinated and have proper proof of your vaccination to navigate through the NYC social space. As NYC opens up there will still be regulations to abide by, with some businesses requiring that people wear masks. That is just the reality of this “new normal” of post-Covid life.
Other states, such as California, have taken a step back with their Covid safety requirements and are requiring people to wear masks when in public areas—whether or not they have been vaccinated. According to the Los Angeles Times, the mask mandate is causing a lot of trouble for Governor Newsom. In the recent article Newsom shares, “We are committed to getting that done, committed not to imposing new restrictions, but we are also committed to addressing this latest increase in the number of new cases here in the state of California.” While many Californians may be angry at the new mandate it is for the sake of decreasing Covid-19 cases.
Along with new mandates, last week, pop star and actress, Olivia Rodrigo visited the white house to discuss the importance of getting vaccinated with President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Dr. Fauci. Through this political publicity, Rodrigo and the Biden Administration are hoping to spark positivity regarding the vaccines. With Rodrigo topping Billboard charts and having a huge audience across all of her social media platforms, she holds a lot of influence over American teens and young adults. As crazy as it may seem it makes sense to bring in a celebrity to talk about an issue like this. Having “White house” important conversations that are broadcasted on various news networks and splashed all over Twitter can hopefully lead to more people getting vaccinated.
As for college students, many schools across the country including NYC colleges, are requiring their students to get vaccinated upon returning to campus for fall classes. So, whether or not you found Rodrigo’s speech inspiring, if you’re a college student, you might not be able to study, work, or hang out on campus this fall unless you’ve been vaccinated. Along with vaccine requirements each school has its own regulations on wearing a mask, daily screenings, and Covid testing.
It’s important to stay up to date via official state college sites or individually distributed information from the school. Of course, just like the California mask mandate, college boards have received backlash from anti-vax/anti-mask college students and parents. It is completely legal for colleges to require students to have the Covid Vaccine.
For over 15 years colleges have required that students have vaccines like HPV and MMR. Why is Covid-19 any different? While college boards hash out these requirements, one thing is apparent that more people need to get vaccinated in order for the world to fully open up again.
Around the world, Covid cases climb new heights because countries lack the infrastructure and resources for vaccine distribution. Being a US citizen has its privileges like free and easy access to the Covid vaccine, especially if you live in a highly populated city like NYC. We have the power to lessen the spread of Covid and lower the number of positive cases. But that comes with being cooperative with vaccine requirements and mask mandates. We’re all in this together, so let’s normalize getting the Covid vaccine and make this new normal better.