Arizona Congressman pushes to end mask mandates

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- Congressman Andy Biggs is urging Arizona leaders to scrap mask mandates, despite evidence showing that face coverings slow the spread of COVID-19.

On Sunday, Biggs once again urged his Twitter followers to "Choose Freedom," and "#UnMaskArizona." It was the second time in a week Biggs used the hash-tag on social media. On Sept. 1, he included it along with a post that read, "Mask mandates symbolize where we can choose to go: On a path of renewed freedom or down the path of un-tethered government control of every aspect of our lives, which will surely lead to ruin."

The Republican congressman did not return our request for comment. But former state health director Will Humble said the lawmaker's insistence to get rid of the mandate "doesn't make any sense to me." Humble said the evidence shows that masks are a simple and effective way to the slow the spread of COVID-19 and prevent a potential of a second spike this fall.

Since Gov. Ducey let local governments create mask mandates, the virus has slowed to the point that some businesses that were ordered to close can now reopen.

In addition, it appears that more K-12 schools are nearing the point where they can reopen for in-person learning. "The lower the cases that we have, the less likely it is that elected officials are going to cause another shutdown, whether that's a bar or a nightclub or, by the way, in-person instruction for the K-12 system," Humble said.