Mask requirements continue to fall as Omicron surge recedes

The University of Wisconsin-Madison announced yesterday that students will no longer be required to wear masks on campus beginning Mar 12, when the university begins spring break.University of Wisconsin System President Tommy Thompson said more than 95% of Madison's student body is fully vaccinated, and cases across the state have dropped significantly in recent weeks."The research strongly suggests that individuals who are vaccinated, boosted, and wearing a high-quality mask have a high degree of protection, regardless of what other individuals around them may choose," the school said in a statement. "That means we're at a point where responsible behavior is up to the individual to decide. "The student body government said it opposed this decisions, wanting mask requirements to remain in place until the end of spring semester.Purdue University in Indiana also announced that masks will be optional in indoor spaces, including sports venues, beginning tomorrow.Texas challenges travel requirementsAcross the country, states, universities, and businesses are attempting to piece together a new framework for living with COVID-19 as cases drop dramatically from January highs.In the nine-state Northeast region, the 7-day death average is down about 51% from the late-January peak, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of Johns Hopkins data.

But 15 states have seen at least a 10% increase in deaths over the last week, ABC News reports.The United States reported 136,488 new COVID-19 cases yesterday and 3,083 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 tracker.Yesterday, the attorney general of Texas sued to strike down the Biden administration's mandate requiring travelers to wear masks at airports and on airplanes and