Guv to sign school face mask ban, gives approval of CDC guidance

The governor likes the direction things are going when it comes to wearing face masks to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Gov. Spencer Cox told the audience of his monthly news conference on PBS station KUED that he will sign the new law passed by the state Legislature in its recent special session that bans schools from requiring masks when school resumes this fall.

Cox also praised the recent guidelines by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that fully vaccinated Americans no longer need to wear a mask to stop the spread of COVID-19. Cox said he’s not worried about moving too quickly to put the pandemic in the past as some have suggested the CDC’s abrupt shift has been confusing.

“This is the simplest guidance we’ve ever gotten from the CDC. That is, basically, if you’re fully vaccinated you don’t have to wear a mask and if you’re not, you do. That’s it,” Cox said. He said the guidance is clear and “it couldn’t be more correct.”

Cox talked about people having an incentive to get the shots because they’ve heard they’ll no longer have to wear a mask. “Obviously, there were people who weren’t wearing masks before. There will be people who are not fully vaccinated who are not wearing masks. That’s a mistake. But certainly, people get the opportunity to choose that,” Cox said.