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Alabama doctors weigh in on mask mandate set to expire Friday

Governor Kay Ivey will decide this Friday whether to extend the mask mandate or remove it.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — We're just days away before Governor Kay Ivey makes the big decision to extend the mask mandate or end it.

On Tuesday, Texas and Mississippi governors lifted their order.

Our WZDX News reporter hears from doctors about what they believe Alabamians should do.

"My recommendations are until we get more than 70-80% population vaccinated, we should be wearing masks," says Huntsville Hospital Infectious Disease Consultant, Dr. Hafsa Siddiqui.

Siddiqui says only thousands of people have been vaccinated system-wide. "All of the hospitals, that comes under Huntsville Hospital - they have administered more than 73,000. So it's still ways to go," says Siddiqui.

Although other vaccine providers across the state are administering doses, doctors say we're still not close to herd immunity.

Former state health officer and President of the Alabama Hospital Association, Dr. Don Williamson, does understand why the mask order could expire.

RELATED: How much longer will we need to wear masks?

"You can end the mask mandate because we're seeing a dramatic decline in the number of new cases. You're seeing declines in hospitalizations. We have more ICU availabilities than we've had," says Williamson.

However, Williamson says variants, including the variant which was identified in the U.K., is why we should continue to wear masks. So far at least 37 cases are in Alabama.

"It is projected to become the dominant virus some time in March, that the possibility of a spike in April is real," says Williamson.

Doctors also believe the masks helped with lower cases during flu season.

"We haven't seen hardly any flu this year. So we are doing very good, and then flu can still hang around 'til April. So, because of the masking we've done so well. So why not continue?," says Siddiqui.

Dr. Siddiqi believes even if the mask order expires, as responsible citizens we should continue to do our part to control the pandemic. 

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