“The end of the mask mandate for businesses is a welcome development but given what the data is telling us about the rapid decline in COVID-19 infections and what is being done in neighboring states that have otherwise maintained egregious and heavy-handed policies throughout the pandemic, it isn’t close to the announcement we would hope to hear. At this point it should be no question that the time for state-level mandates of any kind has come to an end and control of pandemic management should return to local governments and school districts.

“For rural communities like mine, mask mandates for healthy children in schools have done far more harm than good. Should educators and local administrators deem that such mandates aren’t needed, they should have the ability to make the best decision possible for the well-being of their students.”