With the number of COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations still relatively high and the full effect of more contagious variants still unknown, public health experts urge caution as some states move to loosen COVID-19 restrictions. The removal of important public health precautionary measures including mask mandates, social distancing, and travel restrictions risks reversing gains in controlling the spread of the virus. ICAP’s Wafaa El-Sadr, MD, MPH, MPA, expressed her own concerns to Newsday saying:

“It’s a little baffling and alarming to see this.”