"Freedom for Vaccination, Freedom for Masks"… US Leaves COVID-19 Prevention to Individual Choice

Published 18 Apr.2022 16:14(KST)

Updated 19 Apr.2022 15:48(KST)

Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] The United States, which recently saw a decline in COVID-19 cases but is now experiencing a resurgence, is allowing individuals to decide on COVID-19 preventive measures such as mask-wearing and vaccination.

On the 17th (local time), The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the U.S. is leaving COVID-19 measures like mask-wearing, additional vaccine doses (booster shots), and isolation periods after infection up to individual choice.

Since the Omicron variant peaked earlier this year, businesses and schools in the U.S. have been preparing to return to normal life by scaling back or eliminating specific guidelines. A representative example is that the U.S. health authorities approved a second booster shot for adults over 50 at the end of last month but did not recommend it, leaving the decision to the individuals concerned.

This contrasts with the situation two years ago when the COVID-19 pandemic began, and government officials imposed city lockdowns, limited capacity in public places, and mandated social distancing.

Public health experts explain that while there were no vaccines or effective treatments at the start of the pandemic, now that means of response are available, individual choice is being emphasized.

Leana Wen, a professor of health policy at George Washington University, said, "We have multiple tools to protect ourselves," adding, "People can choose different levels of protection depending on how much they want to avoid COVID-19 risk. At this point, the government's role is to empower people to access the necessary tools."

Megan Lani, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, stated, "The history of public health has been a continuous tension between individual and government or community intervention."

However, the federal and state governments are closely monitoring COVID-19 trends, including confirmed cases. The federal government is also preparing for the possibility of needing to purchase additional vaccines and treatments.

If confirmed cases surge again, preventive measures may be strengthened once more. Some cities and universities, such as Philadelphia, have reintroduced mask mandates.

Nevertheless, most COVID-19 measures in the U.S., including testing and mask-wearing, are trending toward individual choice. Many states and companies have left mask-wearing voluntary, and large free testing sites are closing.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, which required a negative test result to end isolation, have also been changed.

Meanwhile, according to The New York Times (NYT) tally, the seven-day average of new daily COVID-19 cases in the U.S. recently reached 37,810, a 38% increase compared to two weeks ago. The spread of COVID-19 is being reported in 37 states. The NYT explained, "New case reports have also started to increase in the Midwest. Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan have seen more than a 40% increase in new cases over the past two weeks."