Coronavirus

CDC Mask Guidelines Will Not Change, Walensky Says

Rochelle Walensky, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), announced that they will not change their mask recommendation in light of the omicron variant.

Some assumed that the CDC might suggest wearing medical-grade KN95 or N95 masks, but they won’t be going that far.

“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,” Walensky said.

She added that the CDC is working to add updated information to their website on mask types, so the public can have a good understanding of which masks provide greater levels of filtration.

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of political news in your in-box.
We find the news you need to know, so you don't have to.

While the CDC is not encouraging people to only use medical-grade masks, other experts are.

Leana Wen, an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University, is one of those people.

“Cloth masks are little more than facial decorations and should not be considered an acceptable form of face covering,” Wen tweeted in December. “The US should require (& distribute) medical-grade surgical masks to be worn in crowded indoor spaces.”

White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients recently said that the Biden Administration is working on finding a way to make higher quality masks more accessible.

Omicron is making a wave through the U.S. with the seven-day caseload totaling 751,000 per day. That number signals a 47 percent increase from last week. Walensky added that a preprint study found patients infected with omicron had a “substantially reduced risk” of severe effects than people who had come down with the delta variant.

Rose Carter

Share
Published by
Rose Carter

Recent Posts

Trump Says He ‘Doesn’t Know’ Whether He’s Obligated To Uphold The Constitution In Startling Interview

President Donald Trump raised eyebrows after answering he was unsure whether he is obligated to…

8 hours ago

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Slams Trump Plan To Reopen Alcatraz As ‘Unserious’

President Donald Trump has announced plans to reopen Alcatraz, the infamous maximum-security prison in San…

9 hours ago

Trump Organization Is Selling $50 ‘Trump 2028’ Hats In Its Online Store

The Trump Organization is selling “Trump 2028” hats for $50 on its online store. “The…

1 day ago

DOGE Claims To Have Saved $160 Billion – But Its Cuts Will Cost Taxpayers $135 Billion, Report Finds

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed up by tech billionaire Elon Musk, claims it…

2 days ago

Elon Musk Denies Report Tesla Board Is Searching For His Replacement As CEO Amid Massive Stock Slide

Tesla and CEO Elon Musk have firmly denied a new Wall Street Journal report suggesting…

2 days ago

Plans For Military Parade On Trump’s Birthday Include 6,600 Soldier, 150 Military Vehicles & 7 Bands

A military parade on Donald Trump’s birthday will include more than 6,600 soldiers and a…

2 days ago