Public Experts of Oregon Pushing For Forever Mask Mandate
Darian Douraghy
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As states around the country gradually begin to ease Coronavirus restrictions, public health experts in Oregon are pushing for the opposite.
Michael Wood, a top health official and administrator of Oregon’s Occupational Safety and Health Division, has justified his support for the measure by pointing out that emergency powers often come with a time frame, and that his worry is the state will exceed it.
Many Oregonians are wondering when they will no longer have to endure various draconian measures, which involve forced masking and various other regulations, including the continued closing of many small businesses. After eliminating their mask mandate on March 10th, the state of Texas has seen cases and hospitalizations at a record low after weeks (and now nearing months) of being open. Texas has also lifted any kind of restrictions on private businesses.
Wood nor any other state official has yet to give any kind of objective measure for when this will end, including the Governor.
Shockingly, permanent mask mandates are not unprecedented in the United States. Ideas of forever forcing masking and other draconian restrictions on the lives of the American people have accelerated rapidly, with some of it already enacted by state governments. In January, the state of Virginia enacted permanent mask mandates on various types of businesses, among other workplace regulations.
According to Wood, he will make a final decision on whether to create a permanent mask mandate by May 4th. It is important to note that none of these measures have been voted on whatsoever, whether by a ballot measure or even the state legislature. This consideration for a permanent mask mandate will be unilaterally decided by Wood and his agency.
Wood stated that various COVID regulations imposed upon private businesses were “driven by the pandemic, and it will be repealed.”
“But, it might not need to go away at exactly the same time the State of Emergency is lifted,” he said, referring to Brown’s executive orders.
After all, who needs an actual emergency to justify such things when the people have inculcated to accept it without question?
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