CDC director defends new mask guidance saying science ‘evolved’

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Rochelle Walensky defended the new mask guidance by the agency on Sunday, citing an evolution in science. 

During an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” Walensky told host Martha Raddatz that as recently as two weeks ago, vaccines have proved to be effective enough to not require those who are fully vaccinated to have to wear face coverings.

“We now have science that has really just evolved even in the last two weeks that demonstrates that these vaccines are safe, they are effective,” Walensky told Raddatz. “They are working in a population just as they did in the clinical trials that they are working against our variants that we have here circulating in the United States.” 

CDC Dir. Rochelle Walensky defends new mask guidance for vaccinated Americans, telling @MarthaRaddatz: “We now have science that has really just evolved even in the last two weeks that demonstrates that these vaccines are safe, they are effective.” https://t.co/gpjJwNg0q7 pic.twitter.com/0t0SX6OmXN

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) May 16, 2021

Walensky also told Raddatz that with the latest guidelines, unvaccinated people should still follow mask guidance and that the new recommendation did not mean there should be a “widespread removal of masks.”  

Pressed on the challenges in enforcing new mask guidelines, CDC Dir. Walensky says: “This is not permission for widespread removal of masks… these decisions have to be made at the jurisdictional level, at the community level.” https://t.co/wbEM2Uitmk pic.twitter.com/gLIkZl1tdt

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) May 16, 2021

Walensky added that it might take some time for people to adjust to the new guidelines and that decisions on mask wearing would be made on the local level. 

“We also need to say that this is not permission for widespread removal of masks. For those who are vaccinated, it may take some time for them to feel comfortable removing their masks, but also that these decisions have to be made at the jurisdictional level, at the community level. Some communities have been hit harder than others, have lowered vaccination rates than others.” Walensky said. “We want to deliver the science of the individual level, but we also understand that these decisions have to be made at the community level.”