Mayor, council clash over masks

Mayor Muriel Bowser’s decision to ease mask requirements in the nation’s capital has sparked a public debate about timing, with the majority of the D.C. Council pleading with her to reconsider.

It’s a debate that reflects a broader national dynamic in the country’s virus-mitigation stance — with some leaders and businesses pushing for more normalcy and the others preaching caution against reckless pre-winter moves.

Starting on Monday, masks will no longer be required in many indoor spaces in D.C. But masks must still be worn in multiple settings, including schools, libraries, public transportation, ride-share vehicles and group-living facilities like nursing homes, dorms and jails. Private businesses will still be able to require customers to wear masks. Bowser’s announcement brought a swift reaction. D.C. Council member Robert White tweeted, “This is premature.” Nine other members of the 13-member D.C. Council then publicly joined him in asking Bowser to rescind the change.