COVID-19 ravages US cities despite mask, vaccine mandates

Despite the enforcement of the use of face masks and vaccine mandates for its citizens, cases of COVID-19 are surging in many major U.S cities, confirming arguments in some quarters that the vaccines and other mandates are not effective.

Doesn’t seem like the draconian measures are helping. Seems to be making it worse. Maybe only allowing the vaccinated to participate in life is causing them to be more careless. Thinking the vaccine is protecting them, when it’s obvious that it doesn’t stop infection.

According to a report by the New York Times, New York City averaged 36,856 reported cases per day as of Monday, which is a 517% increase from the average two weeks ago.

Weeks before his term expired in December, former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that effective Dec. 14, the city government would require proof of vaccination for indoor dining, fitness and entertainment from children as young as 5 years old.

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Beginning Dec. 27, New Yorkers aged 12 and older were required to show proof of two vaccine doses, except for those who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

New York state, which before had peaked at 251,000 daily cases last January, has been seeing an average of about 400,000 cases daily in 2022, according to The New York Times.

Washington, D.C., which reinstated an indoor mask mandate on Dec. 21, has also continued to see a surge of COVID-19.

According to data compiled by The New York Times that was updated Monday, the nation’s capital is averaging 2,103 cases per day, which is a 485% increase over the past two weeks and the highest one-week spike of the entire pandemic.

The high number of test positivity rates further indicate that the number of cases in the nation’s capital is being “significantly undercounted.”

Other major cities that have seen large spikes of COVID-19 despite mask or vaccine mandates include Chicago, Boston and Los Angeles.

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The average daily number of COVID-19 cases in Illinois, which has a statewide mask mandate, surpassed 16,000 for the first time last week, with Chicago boasting the highest infection rate.

Boston, which has had a mask mandate since August, saw a large surge reflected in the numbers that have recently come out of Suffolk County, which has seen a 245% increase in positive cases over the past two weeks. Like Washington, D.C., Boston residents are required to have two doses of vaccine to participate in most public venues by Feb. 15.

With 17,894 cases per day, Los Angeles County has likewise seen a huge spike that reflects an 644% increase from the average two weeks ago. Los Angeles County reimposed a mask mandate in July.