Political Statement Vs. Public Health: More Cities, Businesses Push Mask-Wearing Over Freedom Of Choice

The Associated Press: US Virus Outbreaks Stir Clash Over Masks, Personal Freedom
When the coronavirus flared in China’s capital this week, Beijing canceled flights, suspended reopenings and described the situation as “extremely grave.” But with cases rising in some U.S. states, local officials have balked at even requiring people to wear masks. In the United States, which has the most confirmed cases and deaths in the world, authorities wrestled Wednesday with balancing demands for constitutional rights and personal freedom with warnings from health officials that being lax will have deadly consequences. (Tang, Moritsugu and Pane, 6/18)

NBC News: Necessary Or Needless? Three Months Into The Pandemic, Americans Are Divided On Wearing Masks
Sarah Curran was at a grocery store last week, browsing the soup aisle with a mask on, when a shopper without a face covering approached her and shook his head. "You know COVID is a hoax," the man said, according to Curran. "I don't understand why people are still wearing masks." Curran, 28, a nurse with the cardiothoracic intensive care unit at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City, Michigan, could think of plenty of reasons — including the dozens of coronavirus patients admitted to her hospital, about a fifth of whom have died. (Chuck, 6/17)

The Washington Post: Masks Get Credit For Protecting A Conservative Community From Coronavirus
Clay Goddard wasn’t religious about wearing a face mask in public, despite being the director of the health department in Springfield, Mo., and the head of the region’s response to the novel coronavirus. He doubted a face covering — even his favorite Kansas City Chiefs-pattern mask — offered much protection. “You’d probably have better luck stopping the wind,” Goddard said. (Frankel, 6/17)

The Associated Press: Texas County Orders Use Of Face Masks To Fight COVID-19
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday local governments can require businesses to mandate customers and workers to wear face masks after one the state’s most populous counties ordered such a measure amid record numbers of new cases of coronavirus and hospitalizations. The order for Bexar County, which includes the San Antonio area, takes effect Monday and businesses could face fines up to $1,000 for failing to comply. (Coronado and Vertuno, 6/18)

Las Vegas Review-Journal: Control Board Requires Masks At Casino Table Games
The state Gaming Control Board late Wednesday ordered Nevada casinos to require players and spectators of most casino table and card games to wear protective face coverings. (Velotta, 6/17)

Reuters: Requiring Masks 'Political Hazard' As COVID-19 Surges In California Breadbasket
The first wave of COVID-19 came slowly to San Joaquin County in the heart of California’s breadbasket, but the much-feared second surge is roaring through, sickening as many people in the two weeks since Memorial Day as in March and April combined. (Bernstein, 6/17)

The Wall Street Journal: How Strict Are Airlines About Face Masks In Flight?
Airlines are coming face to face with a problem that may crimp the nascent rebound in travel: who wears a mask and who doesn’t. Some airlines are trying to strictly enforce face coverings during flights. Others have given it cursory attention. As with the question of blocking middle seats—some carriers are doing it and some aren’t—the inconsistency worries passengers concerned about virus exposure in tight confines. (McCartney, 6/17)

CNN: An American Airlines Passenger Was Removed From A Flight For Refusing To Wear A Face Mask 
Tension over wearing face masks led to a passenger's removal from an American Airlines flight Wednesday as airlines enforce stricter safety measures. Passenger Brandon Straka was asked to get off a flight from New York to Dallas after he refused to wear a face covering as required by American Airlines policy, the airline confirmed in a statement. This is the first known incident of this type since the airlines announced plans to more strictly enforce mask wearing. (Zdanowicz and Hunter, 6/18)

The Hill: Bruce Springsteen To Trump: 'Put On A F---Ing Mask' 
Bruce Springsteen knocked President Trump on his show this week over Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to the deaths of more than 100,000 people in the U.S. Springsteen told the president to “put on a f---ing mask.” In the latest episode of his “From My Home to Yours” program on SiriusXM, the “Born in the U.S.A.” singer remarked on the climbing death toll. (Folley, 6/17)