The mask mandate is almost coming up on its two-year anniversary. When Covid first hit in the late months of 2019 schools were forced to shut down around March of 2020. Then on April 3, 2020, the CDC announced that everyone should wear masks and should remain six feet apart from others. You could be declined service if you were not masked, could not enter into stores, or even be around large groups of people let alone with masks. 

Schools were heavily impacted by this as well. The new mask mandate meant that while doing hybrid learning halfway through the year, kids were required to have their mask on no matter what, with the exception of when they’re eating and drinking. As well as when you did not have a mask on you must be away from others. 

With almost two years of masks, a lot of people have been getting tired of wearing them. It has been a continuous back and forth of many counties trying to lift their mandates but essentially go back to wearing them. But recently CA.gov announced that as of March 12th 2022 masks will no longer be required in indoor and school settings. Although masks will still be required in high transmission settings like public transit, emergency shelters, health care settings, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and long-term care facilities. Of course, people are still able to wear masks if they would like but it is now a choice for each individual to make for themselves regardless of vaccination status.

When interviewing Estefani Perez Pitman High School sophomore about the mandate being lifted she responded with, “I think that it’s not a good idea because the cases are just going to go up again and we will have to wear them again so there’s no point in lifting it.  I’m going to continue wearing it because I don’t want to get my family sick.”

I asked Leah Tennell (sophomore at Pitman High), “What do you think of the new mask mandate and will you continue to wear yours?” She responded with, “I’m excited for the new mandate because we haven’t had a normal school year since I started high school and I’m glad things are getting back to normal. I will go on and off wearing my mask.” 

We’re not sure if the lifted mandate will continue but we can do our best to make the best out of it. Masks have been a part of our lives for so long we have adjusted to them, but hopefully, the adjustment back isn’t too rough. 

The mask mandate is almost coming up on its two-year anniversary. When Covid first hit in the late months of 2019 schools were forced to shut down around March of 2020. Then on April 3, 2020, the CDC announced that everyone should wear masks and should remain six feet apart from others. You could be declined service if you were not masked, could not enter into stores, or even be around large groups of people let alone with masks. 

Schools were heavily impacted by this as well. The new mask mandate meant that while doing hybrid learning halfway through the year, kids were required to have their mask on no matter what, with the exception of when they’re eating and drinking. As well as when you did not have a mask on you must be away from others. 

With almost two years of masks, a lot of people have been getting tired of wearing them. It has been a continuous back and forth of many counties trying to lift their mandates but essentially go back to wearing them. But recently CA.gov announced that as of March 12th 2022 masks will no longer be required in indoor and school settings. Although masks will still be required in high transmission settings like public transit, emergency shelters, health care settings, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and long-term care facilities. Of course, people are still able to wear masks if they would like but it is now a choice for each individual to make for themselves regardless of vaccination status.

When interviewing Estefani Perez Pitman High School sophomore about the mandate being lifted she responded with, “I think that it’s not a good idea because the cases are just going to go up again and we will have to wear them again so there’s no point in lifting it.  I’m going to continue wearing it because I don’t want to get my family sick.”

I asked Leah Tennell (sophomore at Pitman High), “What do you think of the new mask mandate and will you continue to wear yours?” She responded with, “I’m excited for the new mandate because we haven’t had a normal school year since I started high school and I’m glad things are getting back to normal. I will go on and off wearing my mask.” 

We’re not sure if the lifted mandate will continue but we can do our best to make the best out of it. Masks have been a part of our lives for so long we have adjusted to them, but hopefully, the adjustment back isn’t too rough.