The ban on public mask-wearing in Nassau County, a suburb of New York City, has been challenged in federal court for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and potentially causing health-compromised individuals to face ridicule. The ban, which is believed to be the first of its kind in the nation, prohibits wearing face coverings in public spaces. However, the ban includes exceptions for health and religious purposes. The complaint in federal court argues that the ban discriminates against people with disabilities, depriving them of equal access to public life in Nassau County. Two anonymous plaintiffs, one with common variable immunodeficiency and the other with cerebral palsy and asthma, fear harassment and discrimination for wearing masks in public.
The lawsuit names Nassau County and County Executive Bruce Blakeman as defendants, with Blakeman expressing confidence that the law will be upheld as reasonable and responsible. The plaintiffs’ experiences include receiving judgmental looks from the public while wearing masks, causing stress and fear. The ban has created a dilemma for health-compromised individuals who may now have to explain why they are wearing masks outside.
Such bans on public mask-wearing were common during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic but have largely disappeared with the development of vaccines. The lawsuit argues that the Nassau County ban on mask-wearing is unconstitutional and discriminatory, particularly against individuals with disabilities.
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