Biden slams Republican governors over lifting mask mandate and reopening to 100%

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday slammed governors of Texas and Mississippi for doing away with mandatory masking and allowing businesses to increase capacity to 100 percent. When asked about their decision, Biden lashed out calling it a "mistake", saying it is a well-established fact now what masks do to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Biden said the US is on the cusp of changing the nature of the disease because of widespread vaccine distribution, adding "the last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking". 

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Biden said even though there are vaccine shots available, not all people will be vaccinated till sometime in the summer. Biden urged everyone to not let their guards down until then, highlighting how critical it is for everyone to follow the "science". "Wash your hands, hot water and do it frequently, wear a mask, and stay socially distanced. I know you all know that, I wish the heck some of our elected officials knew it," Biden told reporters as he slammed the Republican governors. 

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Earlier on Wednesday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order to lift the mask mandate and open the state to 100 percent. "With the medical advancements of vaccines and antibody therapeutic drugs, Texas now has the tools to protect Texans from the virus," Abbott said in his order. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves also issued a similar executive order yesterday, saying "no insult from the President will stop use from leaning towards freedom."

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What health experts say?

Meanwhile, US health experts agree with President Joe Biden that the order to reopen the two southern states may possibly result in higher transmission. Dr. Rochelle Walensky. director of the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), warned that the risk of another COVID-19 surge cannot be ruled out and to prevent it from happening, safety measures are necessary.  

The United States remains the worst affected country in the world with more than 28 million cases and over 5,18,000 deaths so far. The vaccination programme in the country is in full swing. According to Our World in Data, the US has administered more than 78 million vaccine shots to date, more than any other nation in the world, double the number of shots the European Union has administered. 

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