CDC chief said change on mask guidance not due to public pressure

Just weeks earlier, the White House was still urging the public to not let its guard down and to continue to adhere to its strict guidelines — masks included.

And as host Chris Wallace noted, Walensky was still arguing as of Wednesday night that even those who have been fully vaccinated should continue to wear masks indoors — a stark contrast to Thursday’s CDC announcement. But Walensky said the decision was based on data and science.

“I can tell you it certainly would’ve been easier if the science had evolved a week earlier and I didn’t have to go to Congress making those statements,” she said. “But I’m delivering the science as the science is delivered to the medical journals and, you know, it evolved over this last week. The cases came down over this last two weeks and so I delivered it as soon as I can when we have that information available.”

Walensky added that current medical guidance is relatively simple: get vaccinated.

“If you are not vaccinated, you are not safe. Please go get vaccinated or continue to wear your mask,” she said.