Former FDA chief says US is coming to tipping point ‘where masks become optional’, criticizes CDC message

Former FDA chief Dr Scott Gottlieb told “America’s Newsroom” host Dana Perino that he believed the country was approaching a tipping point where “masks are becoming optional.”

What are the details?

During an appearance on the Fox News show Wednesday, Gottlieb said he believed mask warrants would start to fade away.

“I think we’re going to move to a paradigm where masks become optional, encouraged in certain settings, and that’s going to be based on the overall prevalence of infection, and the vaccination rate, and whether or not you’re in. an environment where there are vulnerable people.

Perino replied, “Yes, it looks like it’s time to move on to that.”

Earlier in his remarks to Perino, Gottlieb explained that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would have served the public better if their remarks on the mask advice were consistent.

“It hasn’t been articulated in such a way that we can make very practical use of it. When we should and shouldn’t be wearing masks, what are the risk factors that should trigger mask warrants in some cases. ”

He added: “We have to be consistent, first of all.”

“In a high prevalence environment, especially when you have vulnerable people, the use of masks can help protect individuals,” he continued. “And so if you are one of those people who try to use a mask to reduce your risk, I think that would be safe. But you also have to remember that the quality of the mask is important and that a cloth mask is not. not going to afford an individual nearly as much protection as a level three procedural mask, and you will get a lot more protection with an N-95 mask or a KN-95 mask. So if you are someone who wants protect yourself because you feel you are at risk for COVID or are worried about getting an asymptomatic infection and maybe bringing it home for a young child, you should also look at the quality of the mask. ”

Nothing else?

Gottlieb said in July that the CDC’s continued messages on mask wearing were inconsistent and confusing and that the department’s guidelines recommending that vaccinated people mask themselves will have what he says is a “negligible” effect on mitigating the disease. the spread of the coronavirus.

“I don’t think things have changed, I think they have become more confusing for the average consumer because of the changing advice from CDC,” Gottlieb said at the time. “The vaccine does not make you immune to infection. Some people develop mild, asymptomatic infections even after vaccination.”

He added: “Whether or not that should translate into general guidelines for the general population that if you are vaccinated you should wear a mask, I don’t think it does. I don’t think so. that we are going to get enough bang for our buck by telling people who have been vaccinated to wear masks at all times to make it worthwhile. ”