With coronavirus cases on the rise in some locations due to the Delta variant, we're seeing mask mandates again become a topic of debate. Los Angeles County embraced the mask mandate again, for example, while New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is threatening to if more residents don't get vaccinated.
In a Twitter thread lamenting his previous position against masks early in the pandemic, President Trump's Surgeon General Jerome Adams explained it was due to the "science & conditions at the time." He also took on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidance that fully vaccinated people don't need masks in most settings.
"What @CDCgov said was based on the science & conditions at the time, and amounted to 'you're safe IF you vax it OR mask it.' Both the conditions (rising cases) & the science (delta variant) changed, but what people heard and held to was masks were no longer needed," he tweeted. "Now you have health officials, cities & counties (eg LA County), & likely soon states issuing guidance in direct conflict w/ the mask guidance @CDCgov issued a month ago. The sooner CDC says we were wrong, & hits the reset button, the better. Trust me- I know more than anyone."
Now, he's calling on the CDC to advise Americans to "vax it AND mask it in areas with [an increase in] cases and positivity."
What Dr. Fauci and I said was based on the science & conditions at the time, and amounted to “save the medical masks (which were all that was available) for the medical workers.”
— Jerome Adams (@JeromeAdamsMD) July 17, 2021
Both the conditions & the science changed, but what people heard and held to was masks don’t work…
Now you have health officials, cities & counties (eg LA County), & likely soon states issuing guidance in direct conflict w/ the mask guidance @CDCgov issued a month ago. The sooner CDC says we were wrong, & hits the reset button, the better.
— Jerome Adams (@JeromeAdamsMD) July 17, 2021
Trust me- I know more than anyone.
Instead of vax it OR mask it, the emerging data suggests CDC should be advising to vax it AND mask it in areas with ?? cases and positivity- until we see numbers going back down again.
— Jerome Adams (@JeromeAdamsMD) July 17, 2021
CDC was well intended, but the message was misinterpreted, premature, & wrong. Let’s fix it.
To that, Sen. Ted Cruz said: "Hell no."
No.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 18, 2021
No.
No.
Hell NO. https://t.co/GDgTvsEk7E
Adams sought to engage Cruz in debate on the matter and offered to partner with the Republican senator on encouraging more Americans to get vaccinated.
I believe in local control and states rights. As I thought you did. We should give our local health officials the guidance and flexibility to respond to emerging health and capacity needs. It’s not one size fits all- either way.
— Jerome Adams (@JeromeAdamsMD) July 18, 2021
You disagree?
Final important point- the best way to protect hospitals, health care workers, and communities from a delta surge, and obviate the need for new mitigation measures (including masks) is to strongly encourage vaccinations. Happy to partner with you on this!
— Jerome Adams (@JeromeAdamsMD) July 18, 2021