Biden slams 'Neanderthal' decisions to end mask mandates

Washington - The United States has recorded more than 500,000 deaths from the coronavirus to date.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday slammed "Neanderthal" decisions by Texas and Mississippi to drop mask-wearing mandates, underscoring that the Covid-19 pandemic across the United States remains far from beaten.

"I think it's a big mistake. I hope everybody's realized by now, these masks make a difference. We're on the cusp of being able fundamentally change the nature of this disease," Biden told reporters in the White House, pointing out that the death toll continues to rise past the half-million mark.

"The last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking that in the meantime, everything's fine — take off your mask, forget it. It still matters."

Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), echoed the warning, saying the Texas and Mississippi decisions to defy federal guidelines and drop mask requirements were premature.

The United States has recorded more than 500,000 deaths from the coronavirus, but has recently made progress in the mass vaccination plan, leading some states to ease unpopular controls.

Walensky said, "Now is not the time to release all restrictions."

"The next month or two is really pivotal in terms of how this pandemic goes," she said. "I would still encourage individuals to wear a mask, to socially distance."

Biden's White House coronavirus advisor Andy Slavitt also said that the president was "100 percent" behind CDC recommendations for continued mask wearing.

Walensky cautioned that recent steep declines in Covid deaths and cases showed signs of stalling, and warned that the hyper-transmissible B117 variant "looms ready to hijack our successes to date."

Texas, followed by Mississippi, on Tuesday brushed off warnings to not relax restrictions, saying businesses including restaurants and bars could operate as normal from next week.

Caution versus optimism

Just 9.2 percent of over-18s in Texas have had two vaccine doses, but Republican state governor Greg Abbott said the vaccine and better testing mean normal life can resume.

"For nearly half a year, most businesses have been open either 75 percent or 50 percent and during that time, too many Texans have been sidelined from employment opportunities," he told a business forum Tuesday.

"This must end. It is now time to open Texas 100 percent," he said to cheers from his audience.