Former surgeon general says CDC mask guidelines are ‘premature’ and ‘wrong’

© getty: American surgeon general Jerome Adams
Former surgeon general says CDC mask guidelines are ‘premature’ and ‘wrong’

Former US surgeon general Jerome Adams said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for lifting masks for fully vaccinated Americans were “premature” and “false.”

Adams, who held the post under former President Trump, said in a lengthy Twitter thread that he feared the CDC would make its decision prematurely amid the rise of the Delta variant.

“Last year [Anthony] Fauci and I have notoriously, prematurely, and wrongly advised against masks. I felt it was the best call back then, but now I regret it. I’m afraid the CDC has also made an equally premature, misinterpreted, but still damaging call for masking in the face of the Delta variant, ”Adams said.

Last year Tony Fauci and I prematurely and wrongly advised against masks. I felt it was the best call back then, but now I regret it.

I’m afraid the CDC has also made an equally premature, misinterpreted, but still damaging call for masking in the face of the variante delta variant.

-Jerome Adams (@JeromeAdamsMD) July 17, 2021

Adams’ comment comes amid a wave of coronavirus infections in the United States driven by the spread of the delta strain. These epidemics have concentrated in areas with low vaccination rates.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said friday that the increase was an “unvaccinated pandemic,” noting that almost all hospitalizations and deaths are in unvaccinated people.

But Los Angeles County and Las Vegas have the two mandated residents wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status.

Adams compared the current situation to how federal mask guidelines changed last year.

The former surgeon general said earlier guidelines against masks were “based on the science and conditions of the day.” Even though science changed, people thought masks didn’t work, he said.

“What @CDCgov said was based on science and conditions at the time, and amounted to ‘you’re safe IF you vax it OR hide it,’” Adams said. “The conditions (increasing cases) and the science (delta variant) have changed, but what people heard and held is that the masks were no longer needed.”

Adams said: “The sooner the CDC says we messed up and hit the reset button, the better. Believe me, I know more than anyone.”

Now you have health officials, cities and counties (e.g. LA County), and probably soon states that will be issuing guidelines in direct conflict with the mask guidelines. @CDCgov published a month ago. The sooner the CDC says we messed up and hits the reset button, the better.

Believe me, I know more than anyone.

-Jerome Adams (@JeromeAdamsMD) July 17, 2021

He added that the CDC should advise people to get vaccinated and wear masks in areas with the highest COVID-19 cases until the numbers start to drop.

“CDC was well-meaning, but the message was misinterpreted, premature and wrong. Let’s fix it,” he said.

Instead of vaxing it OR masking it, emerging data suggests the CDC should advise vaxing it AND masking it in areas with ⬆️ cases and positivity – until the numbers come back down.

CDC was well-meaning, but the message was misinterpreted, premature and wrong. Let’s fix it.

-Jerome Adams (@JeromeAdamsMD) July 17, 2021