Masks Are No Longer Required Indoors. Are We Ready?

CELINE GOUNDER, INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST AND EPIDEMIOLOGIST, HOST, EPIDEMIC PODCAST: Bianna, I think the CDC got the science, the medical science, the epidemiological science right. And there are some key data points that really pave the way for that announcement. First of all, that if you have been vaccinated, your risk of infection, not just severe disease, hospitalization and death, but your risk of infection is dramatically decreased. In the case of Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines, that risk of infection is decreased by about 90 percent. With Johnson & Johnson, a one-dose vaccine, by about 70 percent. And secondly, that if you are one of those people that gets a breakthrough infection, despite having been vaccinated, somebody like Bill Maher, for example, or some of the Yankees, as has been reported recently, if you’re one of those people, your risk of transmitting onward to other people is exceedingly low. And so, that science, which really has just transpired is what allowed for this announcement. What I’d question is not the medical and epidemiological science but rather the communications, the collaboration with other agencies, coordination with the private sector. And really, the behavioral science to back up these recommendations.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA: So, should this have been in hindsight rolled out differently or perhaps slower? This seems to have taken the White House by surprise. The president was beaming from ear to ear to take his mask off, but we know that there were consequences. That many businesses were concerned about their employees. CDC director, Walensky, said, basically, that if you’re vaccinated, you’re safe and we should be on an honor system. Is it really as simple as that?

GOUNDER: I think, unfortunately, nothing about that pandemic has been simple and I think it might have been more cautious to take a stepwise approach of saying, OK, here’s what the recent science says. This paves the way for a change in our masking guidance. Let’s get other agencies, for example, OSHA, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, which is in charge of overseeing safety in workplaces. Let’s get them involved. Let’s get unions, the private sector, everyone from Walmart to the airlines involved. Let’s get schools. You know, I think this needs to be tailored for the type of situation that you’re in. And also, for local epidemiology.