As COVID-19 began to surge again in late summer, so did the debate about mask mandates. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) relaxed its mask guidance in the spring when COVID numbers began to decline amid rising vaccinations. However, the agency reinstated recommendations for individuals, both unvaccinated and vaccinated, to wear masks indoors as cases began to rise again in July as the delta variant spread. The CDC’s guidance amplified the division among Americans about whether the government should be able to dictate safety precautions such as masks. The debate rang loud in Congress, where Attending Physician…