CNN Medical Analyst Roasted for Supporting Ending Mask Mandates Because ‘The Science Has Changed’
Dr. Leana Wen, a CNN medical analyst, is facing criticism for saying she is in favor of lifting COVID-19 restrictions and mask mandates because “the science” changed. Wen said on Monday night that she supports lifting…
Dr. Leana Wen, a CNN medical analyst, is facing criticism for saying she is in favor of lifting COVID-19 restrictions and mask mandates because “the science” changed.
Wen said on Monday night that she supports lifting some coronavirus restrictions, including mask mandates.
“When they were put in, it was always with the understanding that they would be removed as soon as we can. And in this case, circumstances have changed, case counts are declining. Also, the science has changed. We know that vaccines protect very well against Omicron,” Wen said.
She also brought up “one-way masking,” which she explained is “the idea that even if other people are not wearing masks, if you wear a high-quality mask that also protects you.”
Finally, Wen added, “I’m not saying — I don’t think anyone really is saying — that no one should ever wear masks but rather that the responsibility should shift from a government mandate imposed from the state or the local district on the school rather it should shift to an individual responsibility by the family who can still decide if that their child can wear a mask if needed.”
Watch the video below:
Wen’s comments come after New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut, California, and Oregon set timelines for when they plan to end their state mask mandates.
Her comments also come after several high-profileDemocrats were criticized for not wearing masks in apparent violation of mandates.
Some conservatives argued that the decision to announce timelines for dropping the mandates was politically motivated.
Check out some of the reactions below:
https://twitter.com/BecketAdams/status/1491066779476852736
https://twitter.com/emzanotti/status/1491037140439879681
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) joined in, tweeting, “Something changed, but it wasn’t the science. It was the Politics.”
Wen’s argument that parents should decide whether their children should wear masks in school is similar to that of the Republican governors of Virginia, Florida, and Texas.
According to The New York Times, the average number of new coronavirus cases recorded per day has decreased 62% compared to the previous 14-days.
However, as of Tuesday morning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still recommends that if people are “up to date” with their Covid vaccination status, they should wear a mask indoors to “maximize protection and prevent possibly spreading COVID-19 to others” if they are “in an area of substantial or high transmission.”