Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky faced tough questioning from CNN’s Dana Bash on Sunday over the agency’s decision to relax mask rules for vaccinated individuals.
During an interview on “State of the Union”, Bash lamented how businesses are beginning to relax their own mask rules in light of the CDC’s changes, and asked if the CDC meant to allow businesses to decide their own rules
“You and Dr. Fauci and President Biden told them that they didn’t need to wear masks anymore. Almost 20 states plus companies like Walmart and Starbucks, they are lifting or relaxing their mask mandates. So did you mean for this guidance to result in stores and local governments lifting those mask mandates?” Bash asked Walensky.
In an artful non-answer worthy of bureaucratic government, Walensky simply said removing mask rules was “a first step” that’s “based on the science.”
“This was a first step. It was foundational guidance,” Walensky said. “We needed to sort of set this foundation based on the science to make sure people understood as they make their recommendations moving forward. And we are doing the hard work with them to make those recommendations.”
Unsatisfied with Walensky’s response, Bash then asked if the government was sending a “mixed message” by relaxing mask rules for individuals but encouraging businesses to keep their own in place.
“Yeah, and I understand what you mean about a first step, but can you see since this is big news for every American, can you see how your guidance that vaccinated people can take their masks off but requirements from businesses, local governments to keep the masks on are sending a mixed message?” Bash further inquired.
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