Just WOW… CNN’s own medical analyst, Dr. Leana Wen, says that Democrats need to cut the crap and listen to the science. Wen echo what many have said for months—mask mandates should follow the severe outbreak cases. She also explained how damaging the masks have been on children.
“There was, and is, a time and place for pandemic restrictions. But when they were put in, it was always with the understanding that they would be removed as soon as we can. And, in this case, circumstances have changed. Case counts are declining. Also, the science has changed,” Wen told host John Berman after he asked her to respond to states lifting their school mask rules.
Wen said that data showed individuals who were vaccinated were well protected against the omicron variant of the virus, the most dominant variant in the U.S., and that people who chose to wear a high-quality mask were also receiving additional protection even if the people around them were not wearing masks.
“And so, in this case, I’m not saying – I don’t think anyone, really, is saying – that no one should ever wear masks, rather that the responsibility should shift from a government mandate imposed from the state or the local district of the school … it should shift to an individual responsibility by the family, who can still decide that their child can wear a mask if needed,” she added.
Wen went on to argue against looking at the number of coronavirus cases diagnosed each day across the country, but rather the number of hospitalizations, to determine the acceptable level to “relax all restrictions.”
She stated that there was harm in having children continue to wear masks, but that masking should potentially be brought back if a new variant arises that younger people are more susceptible to.
“But we should also be intellectually honest and say that masking has had a cost, especially for the youngest learners, people with English as a second language, children with learning disabilities. There has been a cost to them. So the risk-benefit calculation has really changed,” she said.
"The science has changed." @DrLeanaWen explains why she supports lifting some pandemic restrictions and thinks the decision to wear a mask should shift from a government mandate to an individual choice. pic.twitter.com/vaiybBBF2b
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) February 8, 2022
It was honestly shocking to see her on CNN and the feed NOT get cut. I spent the whole segment waiting for them to suddenly have ‘technical issues’ or jump to commercial—But they never did.
Erica Carlin is an independent journalist, opinion writer and contributor to several news and opinion sources. She is based in Georgia.