Why Is Joe Biden Wearing Masks on Zoom Calls and at Meals?

Masks have become cultural and tribal totems for many Americans, sometimes to the point of absurdity on both ends of the spectrum. I understand, to some extent, the logic behind high-profile vaccinated people continuing to model mask-wearing in public as a continued precaution for non-vaccinated people – even though immunized people are immune and overwhelmingly safe from contracting or transmitting the virus. There's also an argument that it is simply courteous to others, who don't know your vaccine status, to mask up in public. But Phil Klein asks a fair question about the balance of the calculus:

Some people speak of the courtesy of wearing masks outdoors even if vaxxed. But what about courtesy of not asking a vaxxed person to wear something uncomfortable, which will alter your chances of catching covid outdoors from zero it would ordinarily be to zero (but with masks)?
— Philip Klein (@philipaklein) April 25, 2021

A follow-up question: Just as Klein suggests that ostensible courteousness actually becomes discourteous for many along the way, at what point does "setting a good example" become setting a bad example? I think we're already there in many ways. For instance, here is the president of the United States on a Zoom call with other world leaders, sitting by himself, while fully vaccinated, wearing a mask (and quite possibly two, since he often double masks). No one else on the call appeared to be masked:

Pres. Biden masks up for a video call to discuss climate change with world leaders

He appears to be the only one wearing a mask pic.twitter.com/TGGuM7BW0x
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 23, 2021

Then there's this image released by the White House last week:

Vaccinated, wearing two masks, sitting 10 feet apart from each other.

This is just embarrassing. pic.twitter.com/4yF3pHesvv
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) April 25, 2021

Biden was hosting the Japanese prime minister. Both vaccinated, they sat as far away from each other as possible and wore masks while they were seated for a meal. Millions of Americans have dined at restaurants during the pandemic, including prior to vaccine availability, and they all recall removing their masks at the table. I tend to agree with this warning about the optics involved:

When COVID theater is so obviously irrational and performative, what is the point? These officials may tell themselves they're helping, but I think this is ridiculous to the point of being counter-productive. Confidence in the vaccines means acting like the vaccines warrant confidence, which they absolutely do – including the finally un-paused Johnson & Johnson shots. That pause, by the way, was over...this:

15/8,000,000 — sure glad we paused this safe and effective vaccine for days ?? https://t.co/GuYLbTxZzi
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) April 23, 2021

I'll leave you with some more good news about vaccines and COVID, followed by a question that answers itself:

Vaccines work ??

COVID-19 Hospitalizations Tumble Among US Senior Citizens https://t.co/rnoopwUntJ
— Alicia Smith (@Alicia_Smith19) April 25, 2021

“I think we are seeing a hopeful trend across the country,” @ScottGottliebMD tells @jdickerson of COVID-19 in the US.

Cases, hospitalizations and deaths are down. Those declines he says, “we can take to the bank.” pic.twitter.com/5PmEbt1zxp
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) April 25, 2021