According to a Loop small business owner interviewed last week, the City of Chicago has inspectors going around to check on mask compliance. If they find people not wearing masks the offending business is fined $500.
Every weekend Chicago area bars are packed with people not wearing masks. But there is no swath of sickness or death associated with this behavior. That is strong evidence that masks are of no consequence.
According to the business owner your author spoke with, this is because those establishments are paying something to the Aldermen to look the other way.
Whether or not that accusation is true, seemingly every week coverage shows up of major government officials violating their own mask mandates. Mayor Lori Lightfoot, President Biden, and the Mayor of San Francisco are among recent examples. Clearly they do not genuinely think masks are critical. Otherwise this would not be happening.
People in many parts of the country are not wearing masks, and they are apparently not facing negative consequences. You can drive through parts of Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York and this is the case. Florida, where they have fought against restrictions from the beginning, reportedly has very low COVID numbers.
As of today the Illinois Department of Public Health reports 26,934 confirmed COVID deaths. The 2020 census reports 12,812,508 people in Illinois. That means there is a .00210 chance of catching COVID and dying in Illinois.
In conclusion here is a valid question: Is keeping the mask mandate in place more about “the science,” or is it about making revenue for the Government?
© 2021 practicalchicago.com
Related Web Sites:
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/chicago-mayor-lightfoot-mask-photo-wnba-game
https://nypost.com/2021/11/28/biden-seen-flouting-mask-wearing-rule-at-nantucket-store/