Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CDC Mask Rule Changes Branded A Public Health 'Failure', A 'Gamble'
Politico: ‘Public Health 101 Failure’: CDC Mask Decision May Knock Out Biden’s Workplace Covid Crackdown
The CDC’s surprise mask-dropping guidance for those who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 may have killed any effort to require their blanket use in workplaces — a bitter disappointment to unions and other safety advocates who have been pushing the Biden administration to tighten things up on the job, not loosen them. “It’s a Public Health 101 failure,” said David Michaels, an epidemiologist who led Occupational Safety and Health Administration during the Obama administration who is now a professor at the George Washington University School of Public Health. “By giving advice to vaccinated people, but ignoring the fact that many or most people in many settings will not be vaccinated, the CDC is causing confusion and setting back our efforts to stop this pandemic.” (Rainey, 5/19)
Axios: Fauci Says People Are "Misinterpreting" The New CDC Mask Guidance
Dr. Anthony Fauci told me for an Axios virtual event airing later today that many Americans are "misinterpreting" the CDC's new mask guidance, which lets vaccinated individuals forego masks indoors. "I think people are misinterpreting, thinking that this is a removal of a mask mandate for everyone. It's not," Fauci told me. "It's an assurance to those who are vaccinated that they can feel safe, be they outdoors or indoors." (Allen, 5/19)
Axios: Fauci: Allowing People To Fly Maskless On Planes Is “Complicated"
Allowing people to fly maskless on planes is a “complicated issue,” in part because the U.S. doesn’t have a vaccine passport system, NIAID director Anthony Fauci said at an Axios event that airs Wednesday. Fauci said that in accordance with the new CDC guidelines, fully vaccinated people could “easily” fly without face masks, but the problem is determining who is vaccinated and not and the airlines "don't want to see spread." (Saric, 5/19)
Also —
NPR: Experts Weigh In On The CDC's Gamble That Fewer Masks Will Lead To More Vaccinations
The CDC's new mask guidelines are, at one level, a gamble: The removal of face masks will prompt more people to get vaccinated. But will it? Some behavioral economists weigh in with predictions. (Noguchi, 5/19)
The New York Times: What Can And Can’t Be Learned From A Doctor In China Who Pioneered Masks
Dr. Wu Lien-Teh helped change the course of a plague epidemic in the early 20th century and promoted the use of masks as a public health tool. (Yan, 5/19)
CNBC: Amazon Says Vaccinated Workers Can Ditch Masks Starting Next Week
Amazon said Wednesday it will soon stop requiring face masks for fully vaccinated workers inside warehouses, except where required by law. Starting Monday, fully vaccinated operations employees in the U.S. will no longer be required to wear a face covering at work unless it is mandated by state or local regulations, according to a notice Amazon sent to workers that was obtained by CNBC. (Palmer, 5/19)
