Why the Optimism on New CDC Guidelines on Wearing Masks? Why the Pessimism? People Lie!

In an article posted on Becker’s Hospital Review, writer Gabrielle Masson noted that “it appears that the U.S. pandemic may be turning a corner.” She listed six reasons why there is cause for optimism.

The latest lower and dropping Covid numbers partially explain the latest CDC updated guidance changes involving wearing masks indoors and outdoors for both the full-vaccinated and unvaccinated. The other reason is that a very recent CDC study showed that those vaccinated, even if again showing positive for COVID-19 and asymptomatic, have very low viral loads with very little to no viral shedding, and therefore little risk of spreading the virus.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky

On ABC News “This Week,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said that “the science, including a study that wrapped up last week, showed vaccinated people are shielded from the virus and its highly contagious variants — and that they can stop donning masks without fear of spreading COVID-19. But those who refuse to get vaccinated are still at risk of contracting the virus and infecting others, especially if they don’t socially distance and wear masks.”

Masson, the writer with Becker’s Hospital Review, went on to list six statistics that demonstrate the progress that’s been made:

1. Quoting The New York Times, COVID-19 cases have fallen to the lowest levels since September (2020), with about 38,000 new infections reported each day.
2. There has been a 40% drop in COVID-19 cases over the last two weeks in Michigan and New York, two states that, again according to The New York Times, had COVID-19 surges.
3. The CDC reports that nearly half of Americans — 46.4 percent — have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, while 35.4 percent of the population is fully vaccinated.
4. On May 12 the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel voted to recommend using Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine in children between the ages of 12-15 years of age. It is now the official CDC recommendation.
5. The national COVID-19 test positivity rate in the U.S. has dropped from 15 percent in January to 3.6 percent according to John Hopkins University, an all-time low.
6. The nation is reporting an average of 600 COVID-19 deaths each day, the lowest average in 10 months, according to The Associated Press. On January 8, the U.S. recorded an all-time record of nearly 3,900 death in a single day.

So, there is optimism that the days of strict COVID-19 restrictions are almost behind us. Under the new mask and distancing guidelines from the CDC, whether someone should wear a mask or not depends on trusting the integrity and honesty of others on whether they have been vaccinated. It is here where the pessimism kicks in: As many news organizations have already observed, people politically polarized over the wearing of masks issue and anti-vaxxers, will very likely lie according to experts.