The United States of America is witnessing a rise in coronavirus cases with the Delta variant wreaking havoc. While Los Angeles County is returning with mandatory mask usage, other states are not joining the bandwagon and refusing to do so.

As per a Fox News report, a number of governors are letting their residents decide what precautions to take and what not to, owing to the number of vaccines available on the market. This also includes people getting vaccinated, too. 

“For over a year and a half, South Carolinians have learned about the virus, they know what to do to protect themselves from it, and the vaccine is available to anyone who wants it,” WBTW quoted a spokesperson for South Carolina as saying.

A day after LA County brought back the mask mandate for indoor spaces, South Carolina governor Henry McMaster’s office said that the governor “will not allow for the restriction of South Carolinians in any way.”

Echoing the same emotion, Washington governor Jay Inslee said that there are no plans in place to bring back the mask mandate and encouraged people to get vaccinated.

“That is not under active consideration at the moment,” Inslee said about a mask mandate, Fox News reported.

“But I will tell you, the folks that live in these vaccine deserts, they have the right to protect themselves, and the best way is to get their friends and neighbors vaccinated,” Inslee added.

However, he did acknowledge the rise in cases but maintained that the rise does not warrant a mask mandate, yet.

On Tuesday, Washington announced that 70% of residents 16 and older have received at least one vaccine dose so far.

“We are using the tool of vaccinations. That’s the ultimate answer to this pandemic. We don’t want to be wearing masks for the next 32 years — vaccines stop this thing dead,” Inslee said.

In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis in May signed an executive order prohibiting city and county governments in the state from imposing mask mandates.

The city of Austin issued guidelines after a significant rise in COVID-19 numbers but that recommendation cannot carry the weight of law because Texas Governor Greg Abbott prohibited the mask mandate.