The Right to Choose
In late May 2021, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed an executive order banning the state’s government entities—including public schools and universities—from requiring face masks. “Texans, not government, should decide their best health practices, which is why masks will not be mandated by public school districts,” said Abbott in a statement. “We can continue to mitigate COVID-19 while defending Texans’ liberty to choose whether or not they mask up.”
Similarly, the CDC recently announced that fully vaccinated individuals no longer have to wear masks or socially distance (within certain parameters). K–12 schools and higher education institutions are announcing the triumphant return to full-time, in-person learning for the 2021– 22 academic year. As more people get vaccinated and fewer new cases are reported, we’re seeing many COVID-related health policies and mandates being repealed.
Many people are rejoicing—and not without reason—that life is finally getting back to normal. Others, though, are expressing concern that it’s still not time to let our guards down completely.
As of June 2021, only the Pfizer vaccine has been approved for use on children ages 12 years and older; the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are still restricted to those ages 18 and up. The vast majority of minors have yet to be vaccinated because they aren’t even eligible. Unless policies change or vaccine eligibility expands to include this group, come August, we run the risk of packing hundreds or thousands of unvaccinated individuals into environments in which many of the now-familiar COVID-19 safety protocols have been deliberately dismantled.
About two weeks ago, I dined in a restaurant for the first time since March 2020. I ordered my meal and then dipped into the bathroom to wash my hands before my food came. And as I was scrubbing, I noticed that familiar placard plastered above the mirror: “Employees must wash hands before returning to work.”
This article originally appeared in the July / August 2021 issue of Campus Security & Life Safety.
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August 02, 2021 at 02:25PM
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The Right to Choose – Campus Security & Life Safety Magazine - Campus Security & Life Safety Magazine
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