A Profile of Students Who Reported Mask Mandates Violate Civil Liberties during COVID-19.

Objectives: In this paper, we explore differences in demographics, mask wearing attitudes and behaviors, and vaccination perceptions among students who reported that mask mandates violate their civil liberties compared to those who did not. Methods: Participants completed an online survey in April 2021 (N=619). Results: Students who reported that mask mandates violate their civil liberties were more likely to identify as male, report good health, attend in-person classes, and less likely to report being vaccinated (p<.05). These students were also more likely to endorse not wearing masks because masks make it difficult to breathe, provide a false sense of security, and because they value their independence; in addition, they were more likely to endorse not being vaccinated because they are at low perceived risk for infection, because of the unknown side effects of vaccines, and because vaccines were rushed into production (p<.05). Whereas students who reported that mask mandates violate their civil liberties were about 5.2 times more likely (p<.0001) to report being unvaccinated, vaccine status was only modestly positively correlated (r=.36, p<.0001). Conclusions: Although students who reported mask mandates violate their civil liberties were also more likely to be unvaccinated, these individuals are not necessarily the same, suggesting different public health messaging may be required to increase both mask use and vaccine uptake.

Observed Face Mask Use at Six Universities - United States, September-November 2020.

Approximately 41% of adults aged 18-24 years in the United States are enrolled in a college or university (1). Wearing a face mask can reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (2), and many colleges and universities mandate mask use in public locations and outdoors when within six feet of others. Studies based on self-report have described mask use ranging from 69.1% to 86.1% among adults aged 18-29 years (3); however, more objective measures are needed. Direct observation by trained observers is the accepted standard for monitoring behaviors such as hand hygiene (4). In this investigation, direct observation was used to estimate the proportion of persons wearing masks and the proportion of persons wearing masks correctly (i.e., covering the nose and mouth and secured under the chin*) on campus and at nearby off-campus locations at six rural and suburban universities with mask mandates in the southern and western United States. Trained student observers recorded mask use for up to 8 weeks from fixed sites on campus and nearby. Among 17,200 observed persons, 85.5% wore masks, with 89.7% of those persons wearing the mask correctly (overall correct mask use: 76.7%). Among persons observed indoors, 91.7% wore masks correctly. The proportion correctly wearing masks indoors varied by mask type, from 96.8% for N95-type masks and 92.2% for cloth masks to 78.9% for bandanas, scarves, and similar face coverings. Observed indoor mask use was high at these six universities with mask mandates. Colleges and universities can use direct observation findings to tailor training and messaging toward increasing correct mask use.