Go celebrate in your way this weekend, America, because our federal government has finally decided to “free” us to make the individual choice on masking. Of course, many people — indeed whole states — had already made their decision months and months ago, but it’s heartening to see the bureaucrats at the CDC finally catch up There’s something of a unifying feeling to that, even if they were really late on the draw. Oh…and they definitely left themselves open to tightening the screws again if they feel the need to.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can forgo their masks and social distancing in many indoor situations.
“Today, CDC is updating our guidance for fully vaccinated people,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Thursday at a White House COVID-19 briefing. “Anyone who is fully vaccinated, can participate in indoor and outdoor activities, large or small, without wearing a mask or physical distancing. If you are fully vaccinated, you can start doing the things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic.”
Anyone who is vaccinated but develops symptoms should mask up and get tested, she warned. Walensky also warned that there’s always a chance the pandemic situation could worsen, and the nation may need to return to pieces of the earlier guidance.
Of course, the debate is now raging over whether or not CDC guidance can still be considered gospel truth by those who just prefer to go on masking indefinitely — apparently, for some of the more online, so no one confuses them with Republicans. Which is the funniest thing that’s happened in at least a week.
“It’s manageable to figure out who is vaccinated,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, LA County health director. “In a workforce or large venues like concerts with vaccination only sections. it’s a very different strategy for customers at stores going into businesses or other workplaces.”
Ferrer said no changes will be immediately made to local mask-wearing requirements. She said Cal-OSHA regulators are set to meet May 20 to discuss possible adjustments to workplace masking requirements, and the county will align with any changes they approve. But until then, masks will remain mandated for everyone patronizing businesses or worksites.
Then there’s the old liberal faithful Rachel Maddow, who is super anxious about what it’s going to take to “rewire” her brain not to see maskless faces as threatening, or COVID-denying, or anti-vax. Because if there’s one thing liberals are, it’s rational about people that disagree with them.
Leftism is a mental disorder. pic.twitter.com/OejLEQAjOi
— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) May 14, 2021
But no matter. Don’t let it bring you down. Senator Rand Paul pretty much drove the nail in the pandemic coffin by openly questioning Anthony Fauci on the gain-of-function research in China that Fauci’s NIH division was allegedly funding. And lo and behold…no more masks.
When pressed by Hemmer on why Dr. Fauci would lie about the funding, Paul said that the NIAID director was afraid of “culpability,” since he allegedly sent the money to the same people who may have caused the outbreak.
While U.S. officials during the Trump administration believed the virus may have originated from the lab, some experts have doubted that explanation. But so far, investigations have been hampered by a secretive Chinese regime.
“So, Dr. Fauci came to Congress yesterday and lied. We can’t prove the virus came from the lab. I’m not saying it did. I’m saying there is very much suspicious evidence that it might have,” said Paul.
I talk about all that on today’s podcast, as well as offer my thoughts on the terrific “Mare of Easttown” (trailer below), and the “Big Screen Is Back” initiative coming out of Hollywoodland.
Tune in!
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