Stacey Abrams Apologizes After Maskless Pic With Schoolkids

stacey abrams
stacey abrams

Stacey Abrams, the Democrat gubernatorial candidate from Georgia, issued an apology for appearing without a mask before a group of school children. She was pictured present among children who were all following COVID protocols.

Stacey Abrams had to face an intense backlash from her political opponents. In an interview with CNN, she acknowledged that appearing maskless among school children was a mistake. Protecting the children was more important, and she apologized for undermining it.

Abrams clarified that she was wearing a mask but had removed it to read books to the kids as they listened intensely. She said some children were also listening online, but pictures released show that she was without a mask on other occasions too. Abrams said that in the excitement of the moment, she took a picture without a mask and that was a mistake.

Stacey Abrams Disagreed That It Was Time To Do Away With The Mask Mandate

When asked if it was time to lift the mask mandate in schools as suggested by Democratic governors, Stacey Abrams disagreed and said it was too early for it.

Abrams said that we need to follow science and circumstances, and COVID hygiene was going to be debated for a long time. She believed that Georgia was not ready to do away with the mask as it remained one of the states with the lowest rate of vaccination.

Stacey Abrams said that each state has to assess the situation and recognize a shift from the pandemic to the endemic. She believes that some states would get to that stage earlier than others.

Stacey Abrams said that wearing the mask made sense as it was the best way to stop the spread of the virus with limited resources. But she stressed that despite the changed situation, the mask should not be turned into a political issue.

She said that her responsibility, if she became the governor, would be to look at the situation from the scientific angle, set the correct example, and follow the COVID protocols.

She said at present, people should keep wearing masks. But it is not possible to be rigid about it as the situation has changed since a year ago.