White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is offering a blunt message to governors who are bucking public health guidance regarding COVID-19.
During a press briefing on Tuesday, Psaki was asked about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ (R) efforts to block school districts from requiring students to wear masks.
“I would say first, Florida’s not the only state. Seven states have both a statewide ban on mask mandates and a prohibition on school districts from requiring masks in schools,” she said.
She continued to note that some states have banned businesses and universities from requiring employees or students to be vaccinated. She also noted that Texas has implemented a measure that could lead to professors or employers being fined if they asked about someone’s vaccination status or to wear a mask.
“And I think the fundamental question we have is, what are we doing here? And you’ll hear the president talk a little about this later this afternoon. His message is going to be we’re all in this fight together, whether it’s [a] Democratic or Republican governor. And I will note, most Republicans are doing exactly the right thing and taking steps to advocate for more people to get vaccinated,” Psaki added.
Finally, she said, “If you aren’t going to help, if you aren’t going to abide by public health guidance, then get out of the way.”
Watch the video below:
Psaki scolds Florida Gov. DeSantis for order letting parents decide if kids wear masks in schools"
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) August 3, 2021
"If you aren't going to help, if you aren't going to abide by public health guidance, then get out of the way." pic.twitter.com/E5qBzmgtw6
Psaki’s comments come as the country is seeing another wave of new coronavirus, with the number of daily new infections reaching numbers not seen since February.
On Friday, DeSantis issued an order that would let parents decide whether or not their children wear a mask in school.
His decision comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance last week that said students in grades K-12 should wear masks in school regardless of their vaccination status.
