South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster withdrew the state’s mask mandate on Friday, no longer requiring the use of facial coverings in government offices or restaurants, a measure implemented in July. He recommended that state residents wear masks in situations where social detachment was not a viable option. On the same day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study reiterating the effectiveness of masking mandates and bans on indoor meals to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Director Rachel Wolensky said, “You have a decrease in cases and deaths when you wear masks, and you have an increase in cases and deaths when you dine in a restaurant in person.” Previous studies from the CDC and leading universities have come to similar conclusions, often comparing states run by governors who have disdained mask mandates and states that have implemented them. Texas also terminated its masking mandate earlier this week. New daily cases across the country are decreasing as vaccinations accelerate, but experts warn that the United States is stabilizing in a dangerous place that could prepare it for another increase.
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