Utah Governor Falls in Line With Biden, Plans to Keep Mask Mandate for Now

In this November 2020 file photo, Spencer Cox is in the Gold Room at the Utah State Capito
Steve Griffin/Deseret News, via AP, Pool

As several Republican led states are lifting mask mandates and easing COVID-19 restrictions on businesses and residents within those states, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox currently has no plans to do the same, under pressure from President Joe Biden and Democrats.

Asked by Breitbart News whether Gov. Cox had plans to lift the statewide mask mandate or ease restrictions put in place following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jennifer Napier-Pearce, adviser and director of communications for Gov. Cox, said, “Not at this time.”

“Gov. Cox and state health experts developed a plan to reduce restrictions based on infection rates, hospitalizations, and percent positivity,” Napier-Pearce added.

Earlier this week, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, both Republicans, announced they are lifting their states’ mask mandates. They join 14 other states, including Florida, South Dakota, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Tennessee, in not having mask mandates.

In response to the announcements by Texas and Mississippi, President Biden criticized the governors, describing their decision as “Neanderthal thinking.”

“The last thing, the last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking that in the meantime, everything’s fine, take off your mask, forget it,” Biden said.

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