Amid US COVID-19 Surge, Mask Mandates Enforced in Traditionally Republican Areas

Trump Politicizes Mask Wearing and Policy Shifts in Utah, Iowa, North Dakota, Ohio, and More

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Regions governed by Republican governors in the United States are increasingly implementing mask mandates as the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) accelerates.

On the 21st (local time), U.S. political media outlet The Hill reported that President Donald Trump politicized the issue of mask-wearing, and as a result, many Republican governors had previously shown resistance to mask mandates.

They had resisted implementing mask mandates for the past eight months, citing infringement on personal freedoms. However, as the spread became uncontrollable, the atmosphere is changing.

In the U.S., 250,000 people have already died from COVID-19, and nearly 200,000 new cases are being reported daily. As winter fully sets in and temperatures drop further, the number of patients is expected to increase.

Accordingly, Republican governors in Utah, Iowa, North Dakota, and Ohio have changed their mask policies.

While the Republican Party still emphasizes personal responsibility, it is acknowledged that there are limits in the face of the COVID-19 crisis.

Hospitals are showing capacity limits as patient numbers rise, and shortages of medical staff and essential equipment have brought the healthcare system to the brink of collapse.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said, "There is insufficient police force to visit and crack down on bars in 99 counties that do not comply with the mask mandate," adding, "If the policy is not followed, we will lose to COVID-19."

Governor Reynolds’ stance has changed significantly from before, when she dismissed public health experts’ recommendations by saying, "Wearing masks just feels like it might stop the virus."

In Iowa, on the 20th, new COVID-19 cases nearly reached 50,000, and deaths surpassed 2,000. The rate of new cases ranks third among all U.S. states, and the situation is so severe that Chuck Grassley, an 87-year-old Republican senator and the oldest member, was also infected.

Ohio Republican Governor Mike DeWine, a longtime political ally of Trump who supported the White House’s COVID-19 response, attended a remote meeting with other governors advocating mask-wearing.

Last week, Governor DeWine also mandated mask-wearing when entering indoor stores and imposed fines or business suspensions on establishments that violate the rule.

Doug Burgum, Republican governor of North Dakota, which has the highest COVID-19 mortality rate worldwide, also introduced a mask mandate last week requiring masks whenever social distancing is not possible, regardless of indoor or outdoor settings.

However, The Hill reported that 13 states, including Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming, which have become COVID-19 hotspots, still do not enforce mask mandates.

The media explained that President Trump delegated most COVID-19 response authority to the states, and most severely affected areas are Republican strongholds.

In regions that still refuse mask mandates, President Trump’s approval ratings remain high, and with ongoing lawsuits over the election results, Republican governors feel less pressure to implement mask mandates.

Kevin Stitt, Republican governor of Oklahoma, stated that he has no plans to mandate mask-wearing, and Mike Parson of the same party in Missouri expressed resistance to mask mandates, though not to mask-wearing itself.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.