Co-host of “The View” Joy Behar says she’s not ready to go without a mask in public places just yet.
“So if I go on the subway, if I go in a bus, if I go into the theater … a crowded place, I would wear a mask, and I might do that indefinitely,” Behar said on the show Thursday. “Because why do I need the flu or a cold even? And so I’m listening to myself right now. I mean, I don’t think it’s 100 percent safe yet.”
A number of states have rolled back or announced they will soon drop government-ordered requirements for masking in places like restaurants, bars, gyms and other public places as a surge in coronavirus infections driven by the omicron variant begins to subside.
In New York City, the local government still recommends people wear face coverings while in public places or in large groups.
The federal government still requires face coverings for people using mass transportation like trains, airplanes and buses.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not changed its guidance on mask wearing, recommending all people regardless of vaccination status wear one when in public, but some reports suggest government officials may soon consider new guidance if cases continue to drop nationwide.
The Biden administration and federal health officials have been criticized about messaging and guidance during the pandemic, with more Americans indicating in public polling they are growing frustrated with the changing restrictions.
“A very short time ago, they were saying put the N95 masks on,” Behar said on Thursday.
“And now they’re saying you don’t have to wear them anymore.”