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Texas Mandates Masks, And Less Than Half Of Americans Want To Wear One

This article is more than 3 years old.

Texas mandated mask wearing in parts of the Lone Star state today as its infection curve climbs the charts. But when it comes to the ubiquitous bandanas, gators, cloth made-at-home masks and the ones you’re more likely to see at a construction site or doctor’s office — less than half of us want to wear them.

There’s a choice, says the Texas governor:

“We can keep businesses open and move our economy forward...but that requires each of us to do our part to protect one another and that means wearing a face covering in public spaces,” governor Greg Abbott said.

In Florida, you can now be fined for not wearing a mask. Break the mandate a third time, and I think you’re in jail for 30 days.

But none of us are really all that excited about the mask thing. Especially on a hot summer day. It’s a total buzz kill.

According to surveys by Gallup, only 36% of adults say they “always” wear a mask in public, followed by 32% who said they “sometimes” wear one and a close 31% who said they “never” wear a mask in public spaces. The poll is not brand new, so there is a chance attitudes have changed, with more people leaning towards “always” and “sometimes” rather than “never”.

Within the above group, the men are the least interested.

Only 29% said they always wear a mask in public compared to 44% of women who said so.

Democrats wear it most of course, because it’s almost like spiting Trump. Trump never wears one. Vice President Mike Pence does. But even among Democrats only 49% always wear a mask in public, with 34% saying sometimes and 18% saying never.

On the Republican and Republican-leaning Independents side, 26% say they always wear a mask in public, 28% say they sometimes do, and — just to be the opposite of the other team — 46% said never. So mask wearing has become a political party bumper sticker, apparently.

What is perhaps even more interesting is the survey that shows people who responded that they “always” wear a mask in public are big believers in media. Those who “trust journalists a lot” wear masks 53% of the time!

Those who trust journalists only a little, wear masks 34% of the time.

Here alone we can see how mask wearing has become politicized, as those who trust journalists, Pew Research polls have shown time and time again, tend to be supporters of the Democratic Party.

Then there are those who trust scientists “a lot”. Of that group, only 44% say they wear masks all the time in public. Those who trust scientists “sometimes” or “less”, only 25% of those people say they are more apt to be wearing masks in public.

Lastly, some 45% of those who are self-described “heavy news consumers” say they will wear masks in public “always” versus 26% who said so and are not big news junkies.

Adherence to the CDC recommendation to wear face masks is most evident among older Americans who believe wearing a mask is as effective as hand-washing, the Gallup survey reveals.

Former vice president Joe Biden says that when he is president he will mandate mask wearing nationwide if the pandemic is still raging.

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