Government, International

Sarasota, FL lifts mandatory masking, claims masks are “burdensome” for citizens and city

Sarasota, Florida, lifted its mandatory masking policy against advice from health experts. Commissioners stated that face coverings were too "burdensome" for citizens and businesses, and the city could not penalize everyone who breached the rule.

By Vicki A. Lee

February 22, 2021
at 3:34 PM

The city of Sarasota, Florida, has rescinded its mandatory masking ordinance against public health experts’ advice. Sarasota’s commissioners claimed that face coverings were too “burdensome” for residents and businesses alike, and the city could not penalize every citizen who defied the rule.

“This was one of those ordinances that was done as a public spectacle,” Vice Mayor Erik Arroyo said, Herald-Tribune reported. “People don’t really respect us as a commission for us trying to regulate every single little thing. It might make us feel good about passing it, but it just doesn’t work, and I think we need to stop this now.”

ORIGINAL SOURCE

Vicki A. Lee

Vicki is a staff writer, anchor, and field reporter covering Culture and Lifestyle. She is interested in literature, design, film, and social justice. Vicki is a staunch proponent of the transformative power of art — as a reflection of our common humanity and as a vehicle to effect sociopolitical reform. She lives in Toronto but often daydreams of being elsewhere, which is why she's always jogging. Read her daily updates here @vickiangelalee.