Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky reiterated Wednesday the agency still recommends that Americans wear masks indoors and in schools.
announced Monday they’d lift their mandates for both businesses and schools, with Oregon’s dropping March 31 or potentially sooner for businesses, and Delaware’s mandates lifting on February 11 for businesses and March 31 for schools.
Walensky didn’t explicitly chide the states for lifting their mask orders, noting “these decisions are going to have to be made at the local level,” and pointed out some states are using a “phased approach” with mandates set to lift in a few weeks, rather than immediately.“Our hospitalizations are still high, our death rates are still high,” Walensky said Wednesday when asked about relaxing mask recommendations.