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In stark a contrast Wednesday, Twitter users did not take too kindly to the White House announcement that the travel mask mandate will be extended another 15 days, while on MSNBC Andrea Mitchell and NIH Director Anthony Fauci wanted more.
The news elicited a wave of anger from conservatives and the anti-lockdown side of Twitter who remembered how the first wave of COVID-19 restrictions started with a "Two weeks to stop the spread" plan in 2020.
Fox New columnist Bethany Mandel reacted with some sarcasm, saying, "Two weeks to stop the spread. That’ll do it."
PHILADELPHIA REIMPOSES INDOOR MASK MANDATE IN RESPONSE TO RISING OMICRON BA.2 CASES
A worker in protective gear holds up a sign which reads "Do not crowd" as he directs a resident near a line for the first round of mass COVID testing in the Jingan district of western Shanghai, China, Friday, April 1, 2022. As residents of western Shanghai start a four day lockdown for mass testing, some in eastern Shanghai about to end their lock down are being told they will be confined to their homes for at least 10 more days. It was the latest wrinkle in the lockdown of China's largest city as it struggles to eliminate an omicron-driven coronavirus outbreak under China's zero-COVID policy. (AP Photo/Chen Si)
Rubin Report host Dave Rubin didn’t mince words about how he felt about restrictions, tweeting, "’Two more weeks to oh f––k off with this bulls--t.’"
Conservative commentator John Cardillo sympathized with travelers who will have to continue to put up with mandates for another couple weeks. "This will do absolutely nothing except further inconvenience passengers and make them uncomfortable. It's moronic," he tweeted.
Newsweek Opinion Editor Josh Hammer blasted the announcement on Twitter, accusing the government of taking advantage. "’Never let a good crisis go to waste,’" he wrote.
Conservative radio host Buck Sexton called the move "lunacy" with his tweet. He added, "The share of Covid that is spread on planes is statistically 0. This is all about political appearances and control. Libs are so pathetic."
The Federalist’s senior tech columnist Rachel Bovard blasted the double standard between the U.S. government ending a key COVID-19 policy for controlling the southern border but extending COVID mandates for Americans traveling.
"They're really going to do this while lifting Title 42 at the border, where they've declared the pandemic is over," Bovard wrote.
Writer Kyle Becker retweeted ABC News’ announcement with the quip, "The Center for Democrat Clownshows strikes again!"
MIGRANTS SNAP SELFIES AT BORDER AFTER CROSSING INTO US
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Meanwhile, as many conservatives boiled over the news, MSNBC's Mitchell implied to Fauci that restrictions should have been extended for longer.
During a Wednesday segment on "Andrea Mitchell Reports," the anchor asked Fauci, "Given the fact that we’re still seeing this surge in Europe, we’re still seeing the effects here in the northeast, why only 15 days?"
Fauci ultimately agreed with Mitchell, telling her, "I would agree we really do need more time."
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