Anthony Fauci, the former White House chief medical adviser, recently spoke out in defense of masking as COVID cases continue to rise across the country. In an informative interview on CNN, Fauci expressed his concern about Americans not heeding the recommendations of health officials, even if masking becomes necessary again.
Fauci stated, “I am concerned that people will not abide by recommendations. I would hope that if we get to the point where the volume of cases is extensive and organizations like the CDC recommend—note that the CDC does not mandate—mask-wearing, people would adhere to that recommendation and consider the risks to themselves and their families.”
Already, some companies have started reimposing mask mandates for employees, raising concerns that there may be a need for national recommendations once again in the near future.
Fauci, who was at the forefront of the COVID response under both the Trump and Biden administrations, addressed a study published earlier this year that claimed masking is ineffective. According to Fauci, this study was misleading, as it failed to consider the overall impact on the pandemic. However, when evaluating the individual level of protection masks offer, there is ample evidence demonstrating their advantage.
The study in question, conducted by the respected British database Cochrane, went viral in anti-mask and COVID-skeptic communities during the spring but has since been debunked by fact-checkers for its misleading conclusions. Cochrane also issued a statement clarifying that the study had been widely misinterpreted.
A surge in COVID cases has been observed nationwide, with cities like Houston being hit particularly hard. CDC data shows a 19 percent increase in COVID hospitalizations and an 18 percent increase in deaths over the past week.
Despite this recent rise, the numbers are consistent with the hospitalization rates observed in February and have remained relatively stable after an initial winter spike.
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