Mask up or lock down

The way President Donald Trump tells it, the covid-19 pandemic is all but vanquished in the U.S., with a vaccine just around the corner.

Health-care workers across the country know better. Coronavirus cases are surging to record highs, a fact that’s not attributable to increased testing. Hospital beds in hard-hit states such as Utah, Idaho and North Dakota are filling up with covid-19 patients, and if the surge continues, those hospitals could be overwhelmed.

The pandemic is far from over. We’re facing another round of economically damaging lockdowns unless the virus can be controlled until, and even after, a vaccine is approved for use and there are enough doses available for every American who wants one. At this moment, the best way to do that is by widespread adherence to social distancing and face mask guidelines as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Too many people are not following the guidelines, either for ideological reasons, personal discomfort or doubt about masks’ ability to stop the virus—an unfortunate result of the fumble by public health experts who initially discouraged the public from buying up masks desperately needed by health-care workers.

Public health officials have attributed much of the spread in this latest wave to social gatherings where people congregate without masks.

Given this, it’s clear that it’s high time for uniform mask mandates that apply to every corner of the U.S. And the push must come from the top.