Where Do US COVID-19 Restrictions Stand?

After two years as the biggest U.S. news story, coverage of COVID-19 and public health guidelines is less frequent amid high inflation and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. So, what's the current state of U.S. COVID-19 restrictions?

All 50 states have lifted their public mask mandates, and most states and cities have eased or ended requirements that barred unvaccinated people from public spaces. More than 40 states have ended capacity limits and curfews for businesses, as state leaders from both major political parties move to end restrictions. Many federal requirements remain in effect, though. The national mask mandate for public transit will last until April 18 at the earliest, and a federal appeals court this week reinstated the Biden administration's vaccine requirement for federal workers. Last week, infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said that people in the U.S. should be "prepared and flexible enough to pivot toward going back, at least temporarily, to a more rigid type of restrictions" if hospitalizations rates rise.

News coverage from right-rated sources often highlights the push to end restrictions and criticizes areas or organizations that have kept restrictions in place despite high vaccinations and low death rates. Some coverage from left-rated sources frames the push to end restrictions as questionable and focuses more on how lifting requirements may create economic disruptions, such as recent flight cancellations due to staff being sick with COVID-19 and out of work.