疾病控制和预防中心的一项新研究发现，口罩的强制要求与以下因素有关新冠肺炎(新型冠状病毒肺炎)病例和死亡，而允许在餐馆就餐与这两者的增加有关。

这些发现来自一些州，包括德克萨斯州和密西西比州，最近已经采取行动，取消他们的口罩规定和其他限制，如用餐容量。

这疾控中心报告上周五公布的一份报告调查了允许餐馆重新营业的州口罩法令和命令与新冠肺炎病例和死亡的关联。

研究人员发现，从3月1日到12月31日，口罩规定与实施后20天内每日病例增长率下降0.5个百分点和死亡增长率下降0.7个百分点有关。

埃里克·盖伊/美联社

2021年3月3日，圣安东尼奥，一个要求制作的标志出现在一家餐馆的用餐者附近。

与此同时，允许餐馆提供室内或室外用餐与40至100天后的每日病例增长率增加1.1个百分点有关，与61至100天后的每日死亡增长率增加3个百分点有关。

研究人员写道:“强制戴口罩和限制在餐馆就餐有助于限制新冠肺炎的社区传播，降低病例和死亡增长率。”。"这些发现可以为减少新冠肺炎社区传播的公共政策提供信息."

掩蔽行为、面对面聚会和旅行等多种因素的结合可能会导致病例和死亡的增加或减少。口罩命令也可能不是佩戴口罩的确切代表。

这项研究没有区分室内还是室外用餐。

疾控中心鼓励人们继续在公共场合佩戴口罩，并保持适当的社交距离，特别是因为在美国出现了最早出现在英国的新冠肺炎变体，即B.1.1.7。

尽管有这样的指导，几个州本周宣布，随着新冠肺炎病例的下降和疫苗的推出，他们将取消口罩的授权。

埃里克·盖伊/美联社

2021年3月3日，圣安东尼奥，食客在河边散步的一家餐馆吃饭。

周二，德克萨斯州州长格雷格·艾伯特(Greg Abbott)表示，该州的口罩订单将于3月10日结束，企业可以满负荷重新开业。

同一天晚些时候，密西西比州州长泰特·里夫斯说，该州的县口罩授权将于周三结束，企业可以满负荷运行。

阿拉巴马州州长凯·艾维星期四说，从4月9日起，口罩将是“个人责任的问题，而不是政府的命令”

周五，亚利桑那州州长道格·杜西(Doug Ducey)也宣布，餐馆、酒吧和其他企业可以立即以100%的容量运营，而物理距离和面罩协议将保持不变。

官员们快速批评各州决定取消口罩授权，特别是在德克萨斯州。乔·拜登总统称艾伯特的决定为“一个错误的决定”尼安德特人的思维美国领先的传染病专家安东尼·福奇博士说，这“风险很大”。"

疾病预防控制中心的负责人也参与了进来，他说该国的新冠肺炎病例“正在以潜在的重新增长的速度稳定下来”

“未来三个月至关重要，”疾控中心主任罗谢尔·瓦伦斯基博士在周三的简报中说。“我请求你们深入保护我们国家的健康保护你爱的人。"

在周四的采访中休斯顿广播电台KTRK台，雅培为他的决定辩护。

“所有的指标都在朝着正确的方向发展，”他告诉电视台。“这些数字足以让人们重返工作岗位，敞开心扉，回归常态，尤其是对我们的孩子和学校而言，同时确保人们遵循最佳实践。”

CDC study shows link between mask mandates, reduced COVID-19 spread as states lift restrictions

A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that mask mandates were linked to a decrease inCOVID-19cases and deaths, while allowing dining at restaurants was linked to an increase in both.

The findings come as some states, includingTexas and Mississippi, have recently made moves to lift their mask mandates and other restrictions, like dining capacity.

TheCDC report, published Friday, examined the association of state mask mandates and orders allowing restaurants to reopen with COVID-19 cases and deaths.

Researchers found that, from March 1 to Dec. 31, mask mandates were associated with a 0.5 percentage point decrease in daily case growth rates and a 0.7 percentage point decrease in death growth rates within 20 days of implementation.

Meanwhile, allowing restaurants to offer indoor or outdoor dining was associated with an increase in daily case growth rates 40 to 100 days later of up to 1.1 percentage point, and an increase in daily death growth rates 61 to 100 days later of up to 3 percentage points.

"Mask mandates and restricting any on-premises dining at restaurants can help limit community transmission of COVID-19 and reduce case and death growth rates," researchers wrote. "These findings can inform public policies to reduce community spread of COVID-19."

A combination of factors, such as masking behavior, in-person gatherings and travel, are likely to contribute to an increase or decrease in cases and deaths. Mask mandates may also not be an exact proxy for mask-wearing.

The study did not make a distinction between indoor or outdoor dining.

The CDC encourages people to continue wearing masks in public and maintain proper social distancing, especially due to the presence in the U.S. of the COVID-19 variant that first emerged in the U.K., known as B.1.1.7.

Despite that guidance, several states this week announced they would lift their mask mandates amid falling COVID-19 cases and the vaccine rollout.

On Tuesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said that the state's mask order will end and businesses can reopen at full capacity as of March 10.

Later that same day, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said the state's county mask mandates will end and businesses can operate at full capacity starting Wednesday.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said Thursday that effective April 9, masks will be "a matter of personal responsibility and not a government mandate."

On Friday, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey also announced that restaurants, bars and other businesses could immediately operate at 100% capacity, while physical distancing and mask protocols will remain in place.

Officials werequick to criticizestates' decisions to lift mask mandates, particularly in Texas. President Joe Biden called Abbott's decision "Neanderthal thinking," and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, said it was "quite risky."

The head of the CDC also weighed in, saying that COVID-19 cases in the country are "leveling off at rates just on the cusp of potential to resurge."

"The next three months are pivotal," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a briefing Wednesday. "I'm asking you to reach deeply to protect our nation'shealthand to protect your loved ones."

In a Thursday interviewwith Houston ABC station KTRK, Abbottdefended his decision.

"All the metrics are moving in the right direction," he told the station. "The numbers are adequate for people to be able to go back to work, open up and get back to a sense of normalcy, especially for our kids and schools, while at the same time making sure that people do follow the best practices."