CDC refuses to update mask guidance or indicate when it will change

The CDC gave a briefing on Wednesday to update the nation on where the country stands in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. When asked about guidance on masking, the CDC stated that they are not changing their guidance, though they deferred to local leaders.

In response to questions about when the federal government will lift mask mandates, and what the CDC recommendations are for masking in schools, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky stated that while cases and hospitalizations are falling, the latest guidance still encourages the wearing of masks for adults and school children.

"We continue to recommend masking in areas of high and substantial transmission, which is much of the country right now, and indoor settings." Walensky did not provide a benchmark as to when those recommendations would change.

Walensky said "We certainly understand the need and desire to be flexible and want to ensure the public health guidance that we're providing meets the moment that we're in... Cases of hospitalizations are falling, this is of course encouraging. And that leads us of course to have a look at all of our guidance based on the latest data and the science and what we know about the virus."

The CDC is "looking at the hospitals as a barometer of how they're doing locally. So those decisions can be made on a local level and of course we at CDC will keep the public informed about our guidance and we will clearly communicate those recommendations to the public if and when they are updated," Walensky said.