Mask Confusion: CDC Eases Recommendations as the Public, Fed & States Grapple with Emerging, New Rules
A government agency knows they went viral, perhaps not in a good way, when Saturday Night Live features them to wild hilarity during their cold opening for the iconic TV show.
Last Friday, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) was the focus of the Saturday Night Live opening, featuring a fictional version of Dr. Fauci as he addressed the national confusion following the CDC lifting rules for mask-wearing during the pandemic.
The CDC released new and sometimes vague mask-wearing guidelines, creating a firestorm of confusion among the general population, numerous local and state governments, and surprised health officials.
As of now, the CDC’s opinion is that people who are inoculated do not need to wear masks outside and in most indoor settings, which has created confusion among numerous states and businesses. Masks are still required on planes, buses and all public transportation.
Today, the Federal government agreed with the CDC and changed its own mask-wearing rules. The Federal mask-wearing mandate, until today, was in effect until September 13.
Vaccinated people may now enter all federal buildings without a mask. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) sent all federal agencies an email on May 18 to change part of the new CDC mask recommendations.
“For now, this change related to masking is the only change to federal workplace COVID-19 safety guidance – maximum telework and workplace occupancy limits remain in place – but we will continue to update based on public health guidance,” said the OMB email. “If you are not fully vaccinated (at least two weeks past your final dose), please continue to wear a mask consistent with the requirements set forth in your agency workplace safety plan.”
Simultaneously, as in the CDC new easing of mask-wearing for the fully inoculated, there is no system in place to check if unmasked people, in courts or any federal buildings, are vaccinated.
The Director of the CDC, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, told Meet the Press Sunday that Americans can use the “honor system” when deciding not to wear masks in public.
Walensky said, “We are asking people to be honest with themselves. If they are vaccinated and they are not wearing a mask, they are safe. If they are not vaccinated and they are not wearing a mask, they are not safe.
The number of vaccinated Americans remains well below the amount necessary for her immunity, which would occur when about 80 percent of the population is inoculated fully.
The CDC, as of May 18, reports about 59.7% of American adults had at least one vaccine and 47 percent were fully vaccinated.
The new recommendations from the CDC offer general guidelines for fully vaccinated people, including that they do not need to wear masks when walking, exercising, running, dining or attending “small” gatherings outside. The new guidelines also tell inoculated people they can dine indoors at restaurants and even enjoy outdoor gatherings with unvaccinated people while remaining maskless. However, there are vague caveats in the new rules.
The CDC advises vaccinated people to wear masks indoors and outdoors when there is a “considerable risk of COVID-19 transmission,” but does not specify what conditions are considered high risk. Some of the events noted where the public should still wear masks include sporting events, concerts, and crowded scenes.
Hawaii and New Jersey are among states still choosing to require masks for indoor public spaces. Texas eased their mask guidelines weeks ago, and states including Illinois, Connecticut, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, Minnesota, Nevada, Kentucky and Oregon have now eased their mask-wearing guidelines.
The National Nurses United, one of the largest unions of registered nurses in the US, sent out a statement disagreeing with the new CDC mask guidelines. New York and California are currently reviewing their mask-wearing guidelines.
In a statement, NNU Executive Director Bonnie Castillo said, “This newest CDC guidance is not based on science, does not protect public health, and threatens the lives of patients, nurses, and other frontline workers across the country. Now is not the time to relax protective measures, and we are outraged that the CDC has done just that while we are still in the midst of the deadliest pandemic in a century.”
Major retailers such as The Gap, Home Depot and Target announced they are keeping mask-wearing in all stores and complying with prior pandemic recommendations.
As of press time, it is rumored the CDC may re-evaluate their new mask-wearing recommendations.
