Six sources told the Washington Post that the Biden administration is debating internally whether or not to tell Americans to wear masks while the COVID Delta variant rips through the U.S. causing more than 40,000 new coronavirus infections a day:
One idea batted around by some officials would be to ask all Americans to wear masks when vaccinated and unvaccinated people mix at public places or indoors, such as at malls or movie theaters, according to two people familiar with the conversations.
So far, leaders in the White House have been hesitant about any policies that would explicitly require Americans to show proof of their vaccination status, according to a person familiar with those talks. Depending on where discussions lead, that decision could ultimately fall to business owners who want to offer mask-free environments.
While the Biden administration debates on masks, it did announce a $398 million boost in funding for testing and reducing infection in rural areas, notes NBC News.
(Sources: Washington Post, NBC News)