Pennsylvania Democrat running for governor opposes Philadelphia’s mask mandate

Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro got here out towards Philadelphia’s choice to reinstate the indoor masks mandate on Monday.

Shapiro, who serves as Pennsylvania’s lawyer normal, appeared on “CNN’s Newsroom” to debate President Biden’s new efforts to restrict the sale of “ghost weapons” in the USA. After arguing about Biden’s “smart” gun technique, Blackwell modified matters to the masks mandate in Philadelphia.

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“Town of Philadelphia goes to convey again its indoor masks mandate per week from at present within the metropolis in any respect public locations,” CNN host Victor Blackwell reported. “How do you get folks, after so lengthy now, not having to put on a masks indoors or different locations to place these again on? It looks like it will be tough.”

“Look, that is a call that the mayor made, I actually did not make it,” Shapiro responded. “And I am not a supporter of those mandates. What I am a supporter of is educating and empowering the general public in order that they will make accountable selections. However I feel these sorts of mandates are counterproductive, significantly at the moment.”

Philadelphia reinstated their masks mandate after beforehand lifting it earlier within the 12 months. In keeping with Philadelphia Well being Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole, rising COVID-19 instances in Philadelphia by the omicron BA.2 subvariant have led to the reinstatement of the indoor masks mandate.

A pedestrian removes a protecting masks worn as a precaution towards the unfold of the coronavirus in Philadelphia, Wednesday, March 2, 2022.
(AP Picture/Matt Rourke)

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“Not too long ago we have been watching COVID-19 instances and hospitalizations rise in a number of European nations and a few locations within the US, and now have been beginning to see instances right here in Philadelphia rise,” Bettigole stated at a press briefing on Monday. “We’re reintroducing the masks mandate in Philadelphia.”

This announcement contradicts CDC suggestions which say that individuals in counties with low group transmission ought to select whether or not or to not put on a masks based mostly off their “private desire.” In keeping with the CDC, the danger degree in Philadelphia remains to be low.

The Middle for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) has been criticized and mocked from all sides after a sequence of muddled messages have baffled Individuals amid a document surge in COVID-19 instances and the unfold of the omicron variant. (iStock)
(iStock)

By February, a number of states had beforehand introduced rolling again masks mandates after the slowing of the omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Fox Information’ Paul Finest contributed to this report.