South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) is bucking new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that recommends vaccinated people wear masks in certain situations.
On Wednesday, McMaster was asked if he would wear a mask, “No, sir.”
“No, sir, I’ve had the virus and been vaccinated,” he continued as he noted that he previously contracted the virus and that his wife has also been vaccinated. “I do not plan to a wear a mask, no sir.”
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Earlier this week, CDC issued new guidance that recommends that fully vaccinated people “wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission.”
According to data from the CDC, all but two counties in South Carolina have “substantial” or “high” levels of transmission of COVID-19. Additionally, 33.1% of the population has been fully vaccinated.
The new mask guidance comes as the number of new cases of the virus is on the rise around the country as the Delta variant has become the dominant strain of the virus.
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky explained the new guidance during an appearance on CNN on Wednesday. She said new data has shown that fully vaccinated people “can actually” transmit the virus to someone else.
Several other Republican governors have pushed back on the new mask guidance and said they would not adopt the new guidelines for their states.