Assemblyman Brian Manktelow (R,C,I-Lyons) has signed onto a letter requesting that the state Department of Health overturn the governor’s newly-updated mandate requiring children as young as two to wear face masks. This update comes after the recent removal of capacity limits statewide and allowing vaccinated individuals to forgo wearing face masks should businesses chose to allow it.

“I find it ridiculous for us to be taking two steps forward and one step back at this point in the pandemic,” said Manktelow. “Why is it that our children were safe last year not wearing masks yet this year, they are not? If it is due to vaccinated adults around them being allowed to not wear face masks, what does that say about the governor’s faith in the vaccine? I am joining my colleagues in reaching out to the Department of Health to roll back this mandate to previous standards. It is completely unrealistic to ask children this young to tolerate wearing a face mask all day long.”