The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will update its guidance concerning masks in due time, CDC director Rochelle Walensky suggested during Wednesday’s press briefing.
During the briefing, which featured members of the White House coronavirus response team, as well as public health officials, Walensky responded to a reporter asking why the CDC is not recommending Americans to wear masks that are more effective, such as N95s over a surgical mask or cloth masks, which studies show only filter out roughly ten percent of exhaled aerosols.
“First, I have a quick follow-up for Dr. Walensky because you said that you do not intend to change the masking guidance, but we also know now that some masks provide better protection than others. So, why isn’t it the case that the best mask for every American is the mask that offers the most protection?” the reporter asked.
“We are updating the information on our mask website to provide information to the public. It’s in need of updating right now,” Walensky confirmed.
“What I will say is the best mask that you can — that you wear is the one that you will wear and the one you can keep on all day long — that you can tolerate in public, indoor settings and tolerate where you need to wear it,” she continued.
“We will provide information on improved filtration that occurs with other masks, such as N95s, and information that the public needs about how to make a choice of which mask is the right one for them,” she said, suggesting that the “best mask for you is the one that you can wear comfortably.”
Since the start of the pandemic, public health officials have specifically urged Americans to refrain from using effective masks, such as N95s and KN95s, citing the prioritization of such PPE for healthcare workers. Current CDC guidance still advises Americans against using the more effective masks.
“Do NOT choose masks that are specially labeled ‘surgical’ N95 respirators, as those should be prioritized for healthcare personnel,” the current guidance states.
Notably, Dr. Anthony Fauci himself balked at the use of masks at the start of the pandemic, admitting in an email that drugstore masks were “not really effective in keeping out virus.” He also famously dismissed the mass need for masks during a 60 Minutes interview in March 2020.
Nearly two years into the pandemic and one year into Biden’s presidency, the American people continue to live under the rule of masks, as certain cities, such as D.C. and New Orleans, reinstitute mandates and Americans continue to be forced to wear them while traveling, despite broken Biden’s promise of “just” 100 days of masking.