On March 12, 2022, California lifted the school masking mandate. Students and staff are now allowed to decide whether or not they wish to wear a mask indoors at school. Because of this relaxed policy, we are contributing to the spread and effects of the Coronavirus on families and individuals at risk. 

The mask mandates have changed time and time again, depending on the increase or decrease of cases, and the intensity of those cases if they were cause for alarm.

And this mandate was implemented due to the fact that COVID rates over the last month have decreased 28.8%. 

This decrease in COVID cases is due to more people receiving vaccinations, other social distancing mandates, and of course masks.

Although COVID cases are decreasing, deaths are relatively still high. 

According to the CDC, even after two years, there are still over 2,200 deaths every day. 

Obviously, COVID is still a threat.

One of the main ways civilians can prevent its spread is just by wearing a mask. The lifting of masking requirements will encourage individuals to remove their masks, causing more harm, and more death.

Britney Daigle, CHS senior here on campus shared,  “For me, I choose to wear a mask because I personally want to protect others, and it’s another precaution I can take.” 

Art teacher, Mr. Emmanuel Lopez, agrees: “I personally believe it’s the polite thing to do because I don’t know the personal health history of others and I would hate to be the reason someone got COVID.”

COVID is an airborne virus. Masks help prevent it from spreading, especially if you are asymptomatic and may not even know you’re sick.

And even though it may seem as though you are invisible and can survive the sickness, there are many individuals who may have elderly or sick loved ones who are not safe.

With the use of masks, we protect not only ourselves but others as well. We don’t know the health history of others, or who those people are around, so it’s best to always be cautious.

And for those concerned with masking restrictions, studies have shown that when the public wears masks, cases go down and more businesses start to open up again for the public to attend.

Overall, if people continue to be safe, be vaccinated, and wear their masks we get closer to stopping or slowing the spread of COVID and preventing so many deaths happening just in the U.S everyday.

Wearing a mask is a simple thing that everyone can do to protect our communities and make the health of others, not a problem but a concern as we all have a community responsibility to keep each other safe.