Indiana University announced Friday that starting on March 4, masks will be optional across nearly all of the university’s campuses. IU noted that the “action will coincide with the anticipated expiration of state and county public health orders” and offered the surprising rationale that “COVID-19 cases [are] declining rapidly at IU and throughout the state” as a justification for their decision.
While it is true that COVID-19 cases in Indiana and Monroe County have been decreasing after their abrupt spike in January, they are still well above the levels recorded six months ago, when the mask mandate was still in full effect. Monroe County is additionally still considered to be in the red advisory level by the state of Indiana, and the CDC continues to recommend wearing a mask indoors in areas of high transmission, such as Monroe County, for fully vaccinated individuals. This of course begs the question, if cases are still relatively high and the CDC is still recommending masking, why has IU chosen now to rescind their mask mandate? And, perhaps more importantly, why weren’t such mandates rescinded months or years ago?
IU first required masks be worn by students and staff nearly two years ago. University administration consistently cited CDC guidance regarding vaccines and masks as the grounds for their policies. However, CDC guidance hasn’t changed. The agency still suggests vaccinated individuals wear masks in high transmission environments.
The chief health officer for IU, Dr. Aaron Carroll, offered his rationale for the university ending the mandate, asserting that personal choice should now be a major driver in decisions related to mask wearing. But, why was that not the case last semester or last year for that matter? Why are students, nearly all of whom are legal adults, only now being granted the power to make their own decisions regarding their health and wellbeing? What has changed? COVID-19 cases are still comparatively high and national agencies still endorse masking.
The undeniable truth is that there is no logical reason to only now allow students to once again decide for themselves what health measures they would like to adopt. Furthermore, this power never should have been usurped by universities and local governments to begin with. Individuals should always have the freedom to maintain and manage their health how they see fit.