US President Joe Biden on Wednesday ripped the Governors of Texas and Mississippi for deciding to lift their states’ mask mandates and restrictions on businesses.
Biden said the decision is a “big mistake” and added, “And the last thing, the last thing we need is the Neanderthal thinking that in the meantime everything’s fine, take off your mask, forget it."
"It still matters...It’s critical, critical, critical, critical that they follow the science," he added.
"Look, I hope everybody has realized by now these masks make a difference. We are on the cusp of being able to fundamentally change the nature of this disease because of the way we are able to get vaccine in people’s arm,” Biden said.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced on Tuesday that the state is lifting most of its remaining coronavirus restrictions, though he stressed that he expects people will continue to exercise personal responsibility to keep themselves safe without a government mandate.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves announced that, effective Wednesday, the state's current public health executive orders will be replaced by recommendations.
“Today, I signed what I expect will be one of my last executive orders regarding COVID-19. Our hospitalizations have plummeted, and our case numbers have fallen dramatically as well. In fact, our case numbers have fallen to the point where no county meets the original criteria for a mask mandate,” Reeves said during a press conference.
The only places where restrictions, including mask mandates, will remain in effect will be in K-12 schools, Reeves added.