Nancy Pelosi requires lawmakers to wear masks while delivering House speeches

Lawmakers speaking on the House floor will be required to wear a face mask from this point forward, Nancy Pelosi said on Tuesday, as Covid-19 cases continued to soar and at least 300,000 people died nationwide due to the novel virus.

The House speaker said in a statement that representatives would have to keep their masks on throughout the duration of their speeches on the floor, which previously was not a requirement. Many lawmakers would wear their face masks until they began speaking, at which point they would then remove their masks. Face masks are required to be worn throughout the chamber.

“Members will not be recognised unless they are wearing a mask and recognition will be withdrawn if they remove the mask while speaking," Ms Pelosi said. “The chair appreciates the continued attention of all members and staff to these principles." 

At least 25 members of Congress have tested positive for coronavirus since the outbreak began earlier this year, NPR reported, as well as at least 150 people who work in the chamber.

The tightening of requirements in Congress comes as it remains unclear when lawmakers will gain access to the coronavirus vaccines approved for emergency authorisation by the FDA, along with millions of Americans waiting to get the shots.

Initial shipments of the Pfizer vaccine approved earlier this month for emergency authorisation were sent out to states across the country last week, with medical and other frontline workers receiving the very first doses of a two-shot vaccination. Some analysts have said the majority of Americans can expect to see the vaccination become available to the general public by March or April.

Even when the vaccines arrives for use by lawmakers and the rest of the country, face masks will likely still be a required part of daily life, as the country’s leading epidemiologists said safety measures will still be needed to curb infections and the rising death toll throughout the vaccination distribution process.

Lawmakers were meanwhile continuing negotiations over a new coronavirus relief bill that was previously stalled in Congress, as well as a government spending package just before the holiday season.

Ms Pelosi previously required all lawmakers to wear face masks in July after Texas Republican Louie Gohmert tested positive for Covid-19 after he was seen engaging with staff and colleagues without a mask.