It's very likely COVID deaths are being under reported according to the CDC. It's not surprising networks continue to talk down the severity of COVID. First it was a hoax, then there was an impending miracle, then there was over-reporting, and now it's a violation of your rights. I don't know why all the excuses. Just be honest and say you don't care about others, you are too weak/stubborn to social distance and wear a mask, or +1 million American deaths will be a small price to pay for you to socialize at a bar.
Florida has been trying to hide their horrific COVID numbers for months. A person who tests positive in Florida is counted only once while negative tests are counted repeatedly when a person gets more than one test. Even then, Florida has a +35% positivity rate. Florida is a prime example of how not to handle a pandemic. You can make an argument for the economy, but the way it's being handled is downright negligent. You're not going to fix the economy if you try to sweep a disaster under the rug.
Someone doesn't wear a mask and develops symptoms of COVID such as a cough, aches, fever. It takes 3-7 days to get back a test result, and in that time they are moving about not wearing a mask and spreading the virus. By the time they are notified they are positive, they've already infected others or family. What's worse, many of these people say "it's just a slight fever and a cough" and refuse to quarantine because "it's against my rights". I've seen it personally and it's disgusting.
Here in Washington State everyone wears a mask now. Once you've done it a few times, you start to instinctively put one on whenever you go inside a business. Everyone does it and few cry about it on tiktok and twitter.