Q&A: CDC mask guidance ‘still too cautious and too complicated’
As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues, the CDC has continued to update its mask guidance for the public, recently revising recommendations for outdoor mask use and children’s summer and overnight camps.
We spoke with Amesh A. Adalja, MD, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, about the effectiveness and timing of the CDC’s guidance on masks over the course of the pandemic.
Healio: Has the CDC done a good job of communicating where, when and how masks should be worn?
Adalja: I think the guidance is still too cautious and too complicated. The recent outdoor mask guidance is such that someone needs to carry a card around with them to know if they’re acting consistent with the CDC guidance. It needs to be much simpler, proactive and less conservative, reflecting what people are already doing.
Healio: Has it clearly communicated guidance for travel?
Adalja: The guidance on travel for vaccinated individuals lags what people have been doing throughout the pandemic, even before vaccines were available. It’s also inconsistent with other guidance for vaccinated individuals in terms of requiring tests for those who travel internationally after being fully vaccinated.
Healio: Have there been instances where the CDC was too slow or too fast with COVID-19-specific guidance?
Adalja: In general, CDC has been slow, characterized by baby steps, and lagging what people are already doing. Ideally, they should be proactive and akin to a harm reduction approach vs. the abstinence-only approach many have taken throughout the pandemic.
Healio: Has the CDC’s communication strategy changed or improved over the course of the pandemic?
Adalja: I think the CDC is being cautious, possibly because of how the organization was undermined during the Trump administration but possibly has overcorrected by being too cautious.
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Healio Interview.