D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser Finally Gives Individuals the Right to Remove Masks

Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) on Wednesday announced she will finally give individuals the right within Washington, DC, to remove masks in some circumstances.

“Rather than the government telling you what you need to do to keep safe, you will evaluate risk and act accordingly,” Bowser proudly announced.

Though masks will still be required on the Metro and buses, government buildings, and public schools, District residents have presumably been granted the right to exercise at gyms and eat at restaurants without a mask starting November 22, the Washington Post reported.

“We are encouraged by the numbers that have opted into vaccination now, some of them encouraged by mandates,” she added, “There may even be an increase in cases … but what we haven’t seen is an increase in hospitalizations and deaths. That is the promise of vaccination.”

According to the Post’s coronavirus death tracker, there has been a seven-day average of zero deaths from the virus since November 6.

If you have a child who is 5 or older, take them to get vaccinated. pic.twitter.com/LMzUbRRZ83

— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) November 16, 2021

In August, Bowser was found with her face uncovered at a wedding after announcing a mask mandate for those who are vaccinated and unvaccinated. In September, she was spotted posing for photos at a legislative summit without a mask:

Muriel Bowser mask mandate started at 5AM this morning.

(h/t @BradEngle for the birthday party pic) pic.twitter.com/bLAtlmTftk

— Jerry Christmas 🎄🎅🏽 (@JerryDunleavy) July 31, 2021

Tonight I spoke to students from around the country gathered for the Jack and Jill On the Hill Legislative Summit. It's the passion of our youth that gives me hope for the future of DC and our nation. Their voices matter, and I will continue to work to give them a #FairShot! pic.twitter.com/u9IiWNxB3I

— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) September 10, 2021

Meanwhile, adjacent Montgomery County, Maryland, one of the most wealthy counties in the nation, reinstated their mask mandate this week.

The country does not seem to publicly track coronavirus deaths on its website as a “primary” indicator of coronavirus severity, but the county’s test positivity rate on Tuesday remains “low.”

Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø