The Cdc Mask Guidance, Fauci Says The Science Did Not Change, But The Virus Did
Nikki Attkisson | Last Updated : July 29, 2021In an interview with CNN, Dr. Anthony Facui said that the new CDC recommendation that adults wear a mask indoors when Covid-19 is present demonstrates the shift in pandemic response since the Delta variant became prevalent.
In an interview with CNN’s Chris Cuomo, the director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease insisted the science would not change. The virus evolved, and science developed along with it.
The Cdc Mask Guidance, Fauci Says The Science Did Not Change, But The Virus Did
Before Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States recommended that only those who have not been vaccinated wear masks at home. The CDC updated its guidance to recommend wearing a mask when indoors when in high transmission areas. This is because there have been more cases of the Delta variant – thought to be at least twice as transmissible as the Alpha variant during the spring.
In the US, according to the CDC, only 49.2% of the population has been fully immunized against Covid-19. The change in mask guidance is attributed by some experts to the fact that unvaccinated Americans are a key reason the measure has to be instituted to motivate them to wear masks.
Eighty million Americans chose not to get the vaccine, and those people are not masking, and they are the ones spreading the virus in this country, CNN Medical Expert Dr. Jonathan Reiner told CNN in a recent interview. The CDC, however, said the decision was strongly motivated by the new data showing that, unlike other strains, vaccinated people who become infected with the Delta variant can still have high viral loads, which increases the likelihood that they could spread the virus to others.
Unlike the Alpha variant that we had in May when we determined that you couldn’t spread it further if you were vaccinated, this delta variant provides different information, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said when speaking about findings investigators found when looking at outbreak clusters.
US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy told the Associated Press that the US is amid real-time observations on the danger of the variant with nearly all 50 states reporting more cases than the previous week.
This is exactly what we should be doing with science. We ought to make sure that the latest scientific information is reflected in our recommendations, and that is what Murthy told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Tuesday. Despite the changes, Murthy said one thing hasn’t changed, indicating that the current vaccines continue to provide high levels of protection against infection, severe illness, and death from the Delta variant.
Pandemics can only be ended with vaccinations
Getting vaccinated is still the best way to end the pandemic, Murthy said. Masking will help reduce Covid-19 spread in the US, but getting vaccinated is “the bedrock” to stop the spread.
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Despite high vaccination rates, the number of Americans inoculated against the virus remains far below what is required to slow or stop its spread, experts said. Experts have argued against vaccine requirements as a means to increase vaccination rates in the United States. It was announced Tuesday that Los Angeles will require its employees to show proof of vaccinations or undergo routine testing weekly.
Since late February, the number of people who have been hospitalized with the Coronavirus nearly doubled in Los Angeles County. According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, 745 people are currently hospitalized with the virus, up from 372 two weeks ago. In response, Murthy stated Tuesday that such requirements are “very reasonable.”
US hospitals and government agencies have mandated vaccination against Covid-19 or regular testing for their employees. Several private institutions may follow suit, Murthy noted.
Wolf Blitzer reports that Murthy told CNN that the federal government would not make those decisions. He said that he does believe that they are reasonable, but they will be determined by institutions. Because of the nature of the times we live in, we’ve got to take every precaution possible to keep ourselves and others safe from Covid-19, he added.
With over 15 years as a practicing journalist, Nikki Attkisson found herself at Powdersville Post now after working at several other publications. She is an award-winning journalist with an entrepreneurial spirit and worked as a journalist covering technology, innovation, environmental issues, politics, health etc. Nikki Attkisson has also worked on product development, content strategy, and editorial management for numerous media companies. She began her career at local news stations and worked as a reporter in national newspapers.