CDC's Big Mask Change Went From Science to Secret to Surprise

[dalton99a]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-15/cdc-s-big-mask-change-went-from-science-to-secret-to-surprise

CDC’s Big Mask Change Went From Science to Secret to Surprise
By Josh Wingrove
May 15, 2021, 6:00 AM CDT

Late Wednesday evening, Biden’s White House learned from Rochelle Walensky, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that vaccinated Americans could safely shed the face masks that have become a staple of their wardrobes in almost all occasions.

That decision -- the most momentous yet in the nation’s battle against Covid-19 -- was kept under wraps among a small circle of top White House aides that night as they began making arrangements for the president to address the watershed moment the following day.

Thursday’s announcement not only turned the page on painful social restrictions brought on by the pandemic, but also eased tensions around public health directives that have sowed acrimony and division over the past year, largely because of resistance among Republicans.

While it appeared abrupt, the decision was the result of weeks of mounting evidence on the efficacy of coronavirus vaccines collected by the CDC. The agency has erred on the side of caution throughout the pandemic, drawing criticism for doing so even as the number of vaccinated Americans soared.

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https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/public-health/6-studies-behind-the-cdc-s-decision-to-ease-indoor-mask-guidance.html

6 studies behind the CDC's decision to ease indoor mask guidance
Erica Carbajal

The CDC's May 13 announcement that masks are no longer required in most indoor settings for fully vaccinated Americans was backed by "numerous reports in the literature that demonstrate the safety and real-world effectiveness of the authorized vaccines," according to Rochelle Walensky, MD, the agency's director.

Here are six studies that supported the CDC's updated mask guidance, as referenced by Dr. Walensky:

Vaccine effectiveness in real-world settings

1. Among 6,710 healthcare workers in Israel, Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine demonstrated 97 percent effectiveness at protecting against symptomatic infection, and 86 percent effectiveness against asymptomatic infection, according to a study published May 6 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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[VarryOn]

1. This was a thoughtful pronouncement by President Biden...

And not something suddenly decided upon and hurriedly announced. I appreciate the process. Personally, I've already started reducing my mask usage to the extent possible.

My employer sent an email yesterday say that in light of the CDC announcement, we should expect changes to our COVID policy. Reading between the lines, I took it to mean masks will soon not be required!

25% of the office still aren't coming in, so they probably aren't happy. That's OK. Their asses need to start coming into the office. We need to return to normal.

[SunSeeker]

2. Only 36% of Americans are vaccinated. That means 64% of Americans should still wear masks.

You know if the rule to wear masks in public is lifted for the vaccinated, everyone will stop wearing masks, not just the vaccinated.

I think this will lead to a spike in cases and deaths. I hope not, but hope isn't enough.

[Pachamama]

3. I am still not convinced this is a wise decision

I have the utmost respect for Walensky and the rest of the team working on the pandemic.

But I think this is premature and in several months we will be discussing that it was and so will they.

I plan to keep wearing masks even though I am vaccinated and they say I can be safe. I am waiting to see what happens with the variants spread and the true efficacy of the vaccine against the variants.