Former FDA Commissioner: Wearing Masks Outdoors Should Not Be Required
Former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb says wearing masks outdoors should not be a requirement. “People could choose to wear a mask if they want to. I think there shouldn’t be requirements…
Former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb says wearing masks outdoors should not be a requirement.
“People could choose to wear a mask if they want to. I think there shouldn’t be requirements that they have to wear masks outdoors. I think we should also be thinking about how to rapidly lift requirements and mandates on gatherings outside,” Gottlieb said during an appearance on CNBC Monday.
He added, “We know activities outside are lower risk than things done indoors.”
Gottlieb suggested that public health officials are reluctant to relax restrictions because when they lift requirements, they will not be able to reimpose them.
“They want to make sure that the trends are in fact down. But the trends are down. The gains that we’re seeing right now against the virus are being solidified through vaccination and immunity in the population,” Gottlieb continued.
Watch his remarks below:
When touching on how people are gathering and removing their masks, Gottlieb acknowledged there is still a downward trajectory.
“That’s because there’s so much immunity in the population at this point, well more than 60% of the public has some form of immunity,” Gottlieb said.
CNN reported President Joe Biden is expected on Tuesday to announce the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated guidelines for wearing masks outdoors, according to three people familiar with the anticipated announcement.