US COVID-19 Cases Rising... Will People Wear Masks Again?

"No Full Mask Mandate Yet"
US COVID-19 Hospitalizations Increase by 15.7%

The WSJ reported that as COVID-19 cases increase and respiratory illnesses spread with the arrival of autumn, discussions about mask-wearing mandates in schools and workplaces have become more active.

The daily Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 9th (local time) that as COVID-19 resurges, the number of people wearing masks is increasing in some schools and businesses in the United States.

Amid the resurgence of COVID-19, LA in the US posts 'Wear a Mask' notice.
[Photo by Los Angeles AFP/ Yonhap News]

Some schools in Kentucky and Texas have decided to temporarily close due to the rise in respiratory virus infections such as COVID-19 and the flu.

Additionally, Lionsgate, a major Hollywood film investment and distribution company, mandated mask-wearing for employees last month at its headquarters in Santa Monica, California, following consecutive COVID-19 cases and under the guidance of health authorities.

However, few companies or academies have reinstated strict mask mandates as seen in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to previous waves, hospitalizations remain relatively low, and the majority of patients exhibit mild symptoms, according to U.S. health authorities.

Most communities and schools have stated they do not plan to resume stringent social distancing measures despite the increase in confirmed cases.

The Los Angeles Unified School District, which enforces some of the strictest COVID-19 regulations in the U.S., advises parents to send their children to school even if they have mild cold symptoms. However, the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) union has urged students to wear masks if they attend school while exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officially ended the COVID-19 emergency response in May and updated mask-wearing guidelines.

Counties with low COVID-19 hospitalization rates allow voluntary mask-wearing if desired. Counties with moderate hospitalization rates recommend that high-risk individuals wear masks properly, and others consider wearing masks when near high-risk groups. In counties with high hospitalization rates, everyone is required to wear masks.

According to the CDC, as of the week of the 20th to 26th of last month, the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S. was 17,418, a 15.7% increase from the previous week.

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