North Gwinnett News

As the delta variant of COVID-19 surges throughout the U.S., elected officials are at odds as to whether they should reinstate lockdowns and mask mandates to prevent the spread of the virus.

U.S. Rep. Carolyn Bordeaux (D-GA) did not respond to North Gwinnett News when asked about her position on having lockdowns and mask mandates as the highly contagious delta variant has spread. 

There is a growing debate about the need for mandates to keep the public safe from the variant versus a push from conservatives who have argued that vaccines or mask mandates infringe on a person's right to choose. 

At a July 29 press conference, White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refused to rule out renewed lockdowns due to the spread of the delta variant at the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

“Like I said, we listen to the CDC and the experts and their guidance. The CDC is a body that is very well respected and, again, we follow their guidance,” Jean-Pierre said, according to The Western Journal.  “This is a public health situation. This is not about politics at all, this is about saving lives. And this is what the president is all about.” 

If lockdowns were reinstated, the mandate would include closures of businesses and schools. 

As the delta variant escalates, the CDC has already reversed course on mask recommendations for vaccinated individuals, saying that wearing a mark indoors is “necessary” to reduce spread further, The Western Journal reported. 

Jean-Pierre's statements contradict Biden's previous remarks in the 2020 election that he would not shut down the country or the economy, according to Townhall. 

In a July 20 article for the New York Post, Dr. Joel Zinberg, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute who has worked at Mt. Sinai Hospital for 30 years, wrote, “Ordering lockdowns or mask mandates for the entire population defies common sense."

Zinvber, former senior economist and general counsel at the White House Council of Economic Advisers, argued that the variant, especially when affecting vaccinated people, poses a very low threat of hospitalization and death. He also said that though cases have been rising, hospitalizations and deaths remain very low, with the death rate today falling farther than it was three weeks ago when there were fewer cases.

However, the CDC in July stressed the need for increased vaccinations and recommended that people in areas endangered by the variant should wear masks in public places, even if they are fully vaccinated. The CDC cited "a rapid and alarming rise in the COVID-19 case and hospitalization rates around the country" as the reason for the recommendation.