CNN’s Dr. Gupta: ‘Science Is Not Necessarily Being Followed’ by CDC, ‘We’re Probably Doing Things That We Don’t Need to’

On Wednesday’s broadcast of CNN’s “New Day,” CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta criticized the CDC for issuing coronavirus guidance that doesn’t necessarily follow science, which results in people “doing things that we don’t need to be doing.” Gupta also said he can understand why Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) said she doesn’t consider the CDC the “gold standard” anymore.

Gupta began by discussing school reopenings and said that “we could have probably opened schools, in some ways, based on the knowledge that we had, much earlier.”

After viewing the clip of Collins, Gupta stated, “It pains me to say this, but I see where she’s coming from — Sen. Collins — on this. I think for a long time, the concern was the CDC was providing guidance at the beginning of the pandemic that was not scientifically based. And as a result, we didn’t do things that we should have done in this country that could have greatly mitigated what has happened here. And now I think it’s almost a little bit of the reverse problem. The science is not necessarily being followed to the same extent. And as a result, we’re probably doing things that we don’t need to be doing. So, in the end, the CDC needs to be just a science-based organization. What does the science say? You don’t need to wear a mask outside. It’s just one of these things that, again, we’ve known this for some time.”

Gupta continued that while it’s difficult to paint the whole country with a broad brush on indoor masking due to different transmission rates in different areas and people in areas with high transmission probably need to be more cautious, “If you’re vaccinated, I don’t think you need to wear a mask indoors either. So, this is what the science is sort of showing, and I think the CDC just needs to probably say that. They’re erring on the side of caution. I get it. … But I think, at this point, it has to be very clear what the science shows and what you can do as a result of that.”

(h/t Daily Caller)

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett