Brooks: Masks should be an ‘individual issue’ because they’re ‘not as effective anymore’

On Friday’s “PBS NewsHour” program, New York Times Columnist David Brooks said that while China’s new security deal with the Solomon Islands shows “China is on the move”. The Biden administration has the merit of being “very focused on China”. He also said that President Joe Biden’s instincts on the mask-carrying mandate “are completely accurate. Masks should be an individual issue at this point. It’s just that masks aren’t as effective at preventing disease anymore.

Brooks said: “What happens during the war in Ukraine maybe this month will largely determine how our children live and what kind of world they inherit. China has a security agreement with the Solomon Islands, which shows that China is on the move. Like, big big things are happening. … I give the Biden administration a lot of credit for sticking to what really matters. So, again, a big new arms gift to Ukraine. They are very focused on China. They focus on climate change. …Even on the question of masks, I think Biden’s instinct is absolutely right. Masks should be an individual issue at this point. It’s just that masks aren’t as effective at preventing disease anymore. Vaccines are effective. And so, I think they focused on the big things.