Racine Sun

Racine Mayor Corey Mason recently expressed his concerns over the growing number of states that are removing face mask mandates despite the continued number of COVID-19-related deaths.

In a social media post, Mason stated that repealing such mandates raises the question of whether they should have been repealed at all.

"We understand the frustration that many people have shared about different states around the country dropping mask mandates even while COVID-19 continues to claim over 2,500 lives per day," Mason posted on Facebook.

Mason also discussed the impact of removing the mask mandates on parents of children under the age of five, who are too young to receive vaccinations, as well as on parents of children under the age of two, who are unable to wear masks.

"They rely on community protection to keep them safe from COVID-19," Mason wrote.

Additionally, Mason added that just because masks aren't needed in certain areas doesn't mean that they can't be worn at all in such locations.

"The best way to combat the pandemic is with a layered approach, including vaccinations and mask-wearing," Mason wrote.

Although Mason maintains that masks are more effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19 if everyone wears them, higher quality masks like N95, KN95 and KF94 still provide effective protection for users from maskless individuals.