During an interview Friday with Fox News host Bret Baier, CDC’s Rochelle Walensky was unable to give a direct answer about what it will take to get back to a pre-pandemic normal.
A Virginia man had the opportunity to ask Walensky a few questions, specifically when things would get back to normal and at what percentage of cases would it no longer be recommended to wear masks.
Walensky explained that the amount of infections is related to how many people have been vaccinated.
So it is actually quantitatively possible to have 95% protection from hospitalizations and still have a lot of breakthrough infections if most of your population is vaccinated.
Rochelle Walensky
Baier asked Walensky if new variants will cause guidance to change each time regarding mask wearing. She added that the new mask guidance was something she knew many Americans would not welcome and claimed the virus has been “humbling”.
Walensky says she has no interest in continuing mask mandates but encourages everyone to get vaccinated and wear masks until they are.
The science continues to change, and while that is neither simple nor easy to convey, it’s my responsibility to keep the American people safe. And as that science evolves, I evolve with the CDC, with the guidance. What I will say is I continue to be humbled by this virus.
Rochelle Walensky
The new CDC guidance encourages all vaccinated people to continue wearing masks indoors again as the delta variant spreads around the country. It was discovered that the virus can still be spread despite vaccine status.
While Walensky acknowledged that vaccine mandates are only at the local and private level, she did indicate that the Biden administration is looking into a federal mandate.