RETURN TO NORMAL LIFE BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC ARE IN YOUR VERY
CAPABLE HANDS.
ONCE YOU ARE FULLY VACCINATED,
TWO WEEKS AFTER YOUR LAST DOSE,
YOU CAN SHED YOUR MASK.
>> YOU CAN SHED YOUR MASK.
ONCE YOU’RE FULLY VACCINATED.
JOINING US NOW ON THIS VERY BIG
DAY IS CDC DIRECTOR DR. ROCHELLE
WALENSKY.
PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU WITH US
TONIGHT.
THANKS FOR MAKING THE TIME TO BE
HERE.
>> MY PLEASURE.
GOOD EVENING, RACHEL.
>> SO, I HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS
ABOUT THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, IF I
CAN JUST SPEAK IN PERSONAL
TERMS.
WHEN YOU SAID TODAY IN THAT
BRIEFING, WE HAVE ALL LONGED FOR
THIS MOMENT, MY HEART LEAPT INTO
MY THROAT.
IT’S TRUE, AND IT IS SUCH GREAT
NEWS AFTER ALL THIS TIME, AND AT
THE SAME TIME I AM VERY NERVOUS
ABOUT WHAT YOU SAID TODAY.
IT IS HARD FOR ME TO IMAGINE
MYSELF WALTZING INTO THE STOP
AND SHOP AND NOT WEARING A MASK.
I FEEL I’M NOT WIRED THAT WAY
ANYMORE AND IT STILL FEELS
RISKY.
SO AGAIN, FORGIVE ME FOR
SPEAKING IN IMPERSONAL TERMS AND
I DON’T MEAN TO BE TOO BLUNT,
BUT HOW SURE ARE YOU?
THIS FEELS LIKE A REALLY BIG
CHANGE.
>> WE’RE SURE.
THERE’S AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT
OF EVIDENCE NOW THAT
DEMONSTRATES THE VACCINES ARE
WORKING IN THE REAL WORLD, IN
COHORT STUDIES, IN CARE
FACILITIES, IN -- ACROSS ALL
STATES THAT THESE VACCINES ARE
WORKING THE WAY THEY WORKED IN
THE CLINICAL TRIALS.
IMPORTANTLY THERE’S ALSO NEW
DATA JUST EVEN IN THE LAST TWO
WEEKS THAT DEMONSTRATES THESE
VACCINES ARE WORKING AGAINST THE
VARIANTS THAT WE HAVE
CIRCULATING HERE IN THE UNITED
STATES, AND ALSO DATA HAS
EMERGED THAT HAS DEMONSTRATED
THAT IF YOU ARE VACCINATED YOU
ARE LESS LIKELY, NOT LIKELY TO
ASYMPTOMATICALLY SHED THE VIRUS
AND GIVE TO IT OTHERS.
SO IT IS THIS COALESCING OF ALL
THE EVIDENCE NOW THAT TELLS US
REALLY, IT IS SAFE TO TAKE OFF
YOUR MASK.
THAT SAID, I THINK YOUR POINT IS
REALLY WELL TAKEN -- FOR THE
LAST 15 MONTHS WE HAVE BEEN
SAYING WEAR A MASK.
AND SO WE’VE BECOME -- IT’S
ENGRAINED IN US.
YOU CAN’T LEAVE THE HOUSE
WITHOUT A MASK.
I WENT FOR A WALK FOR THE FIRST
TIME WITHOUT A MASK OUTSIDE A
WEEK AGO, AND THAT FELT STRANGE,
RIGHT?
SO I THINK WE ALL ARE GOING TO
HAVE TO BECOME COMFORTABLE WITH
THIS AGAIN.
BUT WHAT WE’RE SEEING IS NOW IS
TIME TO MAKE THOSE EVERIES TOY E
START GETTING COMFORTABLE.
>> YOU’RE GOING TO, I KNOW, END
AN UP REITERATEING SOME OF WHAT
YOU JUST SAID TO ANSWER THESE
QUESTIONS, BUT I SURVEYED A LOT
OF PEOPLE ON THE STAFF AND IN MY
PERSONAL LIFE ABOUT THINGS THEY
FEEL NERVOUS ABOUT STILL EVEN
AFTER LISTENING TO YOU AND
LISTENING TOTH PRESIDENT TODAY.
HEAR’S
HERE’S ONE.
IF I AM VACCINATED AND THE
COWORKER I SIT NEXT TO AT WORK
IS NOT VACCINATED, IT IS REALLY
SAFE FOR ME NOT TO WEAR A MASK
AT WORK IF I KNOW I’M IN THE
PRESENCE OF PEOPLE WHO AREN’T
VACCINATED?
I CAN’T CONTROL WHETHER OR NOT
THEY’RE WEARING MASKS.
I CAN ONLY CONTROL WHETHER I DO.
IS IT SAFE TO BE AROUND SOMEBODY
INDOORS WHO’S NOT VACCINATED
WHO’S NOT VAX COMPLIANT.
>> WHAT I WOULD SAY IS YOU’RE
95% PROTECTED FROM DISEASE, IN
SOME STUDIES, 97%.
IN THOSE INFECTIONS THAT RARELY
OCCUR THEY’RE RESULTING IN
ASYMPTOMATIC OR MILD DISEASE.
IT’S SAFE FOR YOU AS THE
VACCINATED PERSON.
IT’S NOT UNSAFE FOR THE
UNVACCINATED PERSON.
ESPECIALLY IF THEY’RE TAKING OFF
THEIR MASK.
WHAT WE WOULD SAY FOR THE
UNVACCINATED PERSON, PLEASE KEEP
YOUR MASK ON OR BETTER YET, GO
GET VACCINATED.
>> IN TERMS OF BREAKTHROUGH
INFECTIONS, PEOPLE WHO ARE
VACCINATED WHOEVER NEVERTHELESS
CONTRACTING COVID -- I KNOW IT’S
A VERY, VERY SMALL NUMBER OF
PEOPLE, BUT THE CDC HAVE TALKED
ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE HAVE
BEEN THOUSANDS OF THESE CASES.
IMPORTANTLY, THEY’RE LESS
DANGEROUS CASES.
THEY TEND TO BE ASYMPTOMATIC.
VERY SMALL PORTIONS OF PEOPLE
WHO ARE VACCINATED END UP SICK
OR HOSPITALIZED.
THEY ALSO POSE LESS OF A RISK TO
OTHER PEOPLE IN TERMS LOW VIRAL
SHEDDING.
BUT HAVE WE LEARNED ANYTHING?
TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
VACCINATED.
HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF SHOTS OUT
THERE.
HAVE WE LEARNED ENOUGH ABOUT THE
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE
VACCINES?
CAN WE YET SAY THERE’S MORE OF
LESS OF A CHANCE OF A
BREAKTHROUGH INFECTION WITH ANY
OF THE THREE VACCINES OR SHOULD
WE THINK OF THEM ALL AS OFFERING
EQUIVALENT PROTECTION?
>> SO, WE DO KNOW FROM THE
CLINICAL TRIALS THAT THE
VACCINES DID WHAT THEY WERE
SUPPOSED TO DO.
THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO PREVENT
SEVERE INFECTION,
HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATH, AND
ALL OF THEM WORKED EQUALLY WELL
IN DOING SO.
THEY WERE ESSENTIALLY 100%
EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING SEVERE
INFECTIONS, HOSPITALIZATIONS, OR
DEATH.
DO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHETHER ONE
VACCINE MIGHT RESULT IN MORE
ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS THAN
ANOTHER?
THAT IS STILL UNDER STUDY.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART WHEN WE
HAVE SEEN THESE STUDIES THAT
HAVE BEEN DOING SCREENING OF
PEOPLE, TESTING OF PEOPLE WHO
HAVE BEEN VACCINATED, WHAT
THEY’RE FINDING IS WHEN THEY’RE
ASYMPTOMATICALLY INFECTED,
THEY’RE NOT SHEDDING VIRUS TO
OTHERS.
>> ON THAT POINT, I GUESS I HAVE
A TESTING QUESTION, TOO.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT MY OWN
EXPERIENCE OVER THE PAST 14
MONTHS, IF I FOUND MYSELF FOR
SOME REASON IN A CAR WITHOUT A
MASK ON WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHO
DIDN’T HAVE MASKS ON OR IN SOME
OTHER ENCLOSED SPACE WHERE WE
DIDN’T HAVE MASKS ON, OVER THE
COURSE OF THIS PAST YEAR, I AM
NOW WIRED TO THINK OF MYSELF AS
HAVING BEEN EXPOSED AND NEEDING
TO GET TESTED BECAUSE I HAVE
BEEN IN AN UNSAFE PLACE.
NOW THAT I HAVE BEEN FULLY
VACCINATED.
I HEAR YOU IN TERMS OF HOW SAFE
I AM, EVEN IN THAT WEEKEND OF AN
ENVIRONMENT, BUT UNDER WHAT
CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD I STILL
CONSIDER GETTING A TEST?
SHOULD I BE WORRIED ABOUT HAVING
AN INFECTION THAT’S
ASYMPTOMATIC?
SHOULD I BE JUST LOOKING OUT FOR
SYMPTOMS.
THOSE OF US WHO ARE VACCINATED,
WHEN DO WE TEST NOW?
>> SO REALLY OUR GUIDANCE
ACTUALLY UPDATED ON THIS A BIT
AGO, SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, AND HAS
BASICALLY SAID YOU DO NOT NEED A
TEST IF YOU’RE FULLY VACCINATED
AND HAVE BEEN EXPOSED.
HOWEVER, YOU DO NEED A TEST IF
YOU’RE FULLY VACCINATED AND HAVE
SYMPTOMS.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS
THAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT, AND
THAT IS IF YOU ARE VACCINATED
AND HAVE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19,
PLEASE DO PUT YOUR MASK BACK ON,
GET YOURSELF TESTED AND KEEP
YOUR MASK ON UNTIL YOUR TEST
COMES BACK NEGATIVE.
>> LET ME ALSO ASK YOU ABOUT THE
EXCEPTIONS TO THE BROAD RULE
THAT YOU -- OR THE BROAD
GUIDANCE THAT YOU LAID OUT
TODAY.
IT MAKES SENSE TO ME THAT IN
PLACES LIKE HOMELESS SHELTERS,
NURSING HOMES, HEALTH-CARE
ENVIRONMENTS, JAILS, PRISONS
THAT EVEN VACCINATED PEOPLE ARE
ADVISED TO STILL WEAR MASKS IN
THOSE KIND OF ENVIRONMENTS
BECAUSE OF THE RISKS ASSOCIATED
WITH THOSE ENVIRONMENTS
SPECIFICALLY.
I DON’T UNDERSTAND THE TRANSIT
GUIDANCE.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT BEING ON A BUS
OR IN A PLANE OR IN A BUS DEPOT
OR IN AN AIRPORT THAT’S
DIFFERENT THAN BEING IN A
RESTAURANT OR A BAR OR A GROCERY
STORE?
WHY DO WE HAVE THAT EXCEPTION
FOR TRANSIT?
>> YEAH, THIS IS A REALLY
IMPORTANT QUESTION.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
SO THIS GUIDANCE TODAY WAS ABOUT
INDIVIDUALS, AND WHAT
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE VACCINATED
CAN DO.
AND WE NOW AT CDC HAVE THE HARD
WORK IN THE WEEKS AHEAD OF
TAKING ALL OF OUR GUIDANCE, OUR
CHILD CARE GUIDANCE AND SCHOOL
GUIDANCE AND CAMP GUIDANCE AND
TRAVEL GUIDANCE AND UPDATING IT
IN THE CONTEX OF WHAT WE CAN DO
AS INDIVIDUALS.
IMPORTANTLY FOR THE TRAF
GUIDANCE, WE HAVE TRAVEL
GUIDANCE BUT A TRAVEL POLICY
THAT INVOLVES NOT JUST CDC BUT
MULTIPLE AGENCIES COMING
TOGETHER, AND THAT POLICY IS
SOMETHING WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO
LOOK AT IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR
NEW GUIDANCE.
>> SO IF POLICIES AROUND WEARING
MASKS ON TRANSIT ARE REVISED
THE, CDC GUIDANCE ABOUT MASKS ON
TRANSIT WOULD ALSO ESSENTIALLY
REVISE TO COMPORT WITH THE
POLICIES?
THEY’RE BEING ADDRESSED IN
TANDEM?
>> YEAH, WE WILL COLLABORATE
TOGETHER AMONG DIFFERENT
AGENCIES TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO
ABOUT OUR CURRENT TRAVEL POLICY.
>> OKAY.
LAST QUESTION FOR YOU.
FOR PARENTS WHO HAVE KIDS UNDER
AGE 12 -- OBVIOUSLY THE PFIZER
VACCINE NOW IS PRUFAPPROVED FOR
AGE 12 AND UP.
IF YOU’VE GOT KIDS UNDER AGE 12,
HOW DO YOU APPROACH THE GUIDANCE
WITHIN YOUR FAMILY?
IF KIDS NEED TO KEEP WEARING
MASKS IF THEY HAVEN’T BEEN
VACCINATED EVEN IF OLDER PARENTS
AND SIBLINGS HAVEN’T BEEN
VACCINATED AND THEY HAVE TO WEAR
MASKS, THAT SEEMS LIKE IT’S
GOING TO BE AN ODD DYNAMIC.
>> RIGHT.
SO FIRST OF ALL, LET’S CELEBRATE
FOR A BRIEF MOMENT WE HAVE NOW A
VACCINE FOR 12 TO 15-YEAR-OLDS,
WHICH I THINK WAS REALLY GREAT
TO SEE THAT WE CAN NOW VACCINATE
17 MILLION MORE PEOPLE IN THE
UNITED STATES BECAUSE OF THIS
NEW AUTHORIZATION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS YESTERDAY.
BUT YOU BRING UP AN IMPORTANT
POINT ABOUT WHAT ABOUT CHILDREN
WHO ARE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 0
AND 12, AND WE HAVE TO TREAT
THEM AS UNVACCINATED.
SO YES, THOSE CHILDREN STILL DO
HAVE TO WEAR A MASK TO PROTECT
THEMSELVES.
AND THE SAME SORT OF MITIGATION
STRATEGIES APPLY -- WEAR YOUR
MASK.
DISTANCE IF YOU CAN’T, GO TO
WELL VENTILATED SPACES.
>> DR. ROCHELLE WALENSKY,
DIRECTOR OF THE CDC.
CONGRATULATIONS ON -- I MEAN, IN
SOME WAYS THIS IS AN ACHIEVEMENT
OF OUR PUBLIC HEALTH FOLKS, AN
ACHIEVEMENT OF THE CDC TO GET US
TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN ANNOUNCE
THIS KIND OF HISTORIC CHANGE IN
GUIDANCE TODAY.
THIS BE FOR BEING WITH US ON A
BIG DAY.
COME BACK ANY TIME.
AS ALWAYS, LET US KNOW IF
ANYBODY STARTS MESSING WITH YOU
OR THE SCIENTISTS AT THE CDC AND
WE’LL KNOCK THEIR BLOCK OFF FOR
YOU.
GOD THE SEE YOU.
>> YOU TOO.
NO PROBLEMS SO FAR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> LET ME KNOW.
YOU KNOW HOW TO REACH ME.
ALL RIGHT.
IT IS AN AMAZING THING.
I’LL TELL YOU AT A PERSONAL
LEVEL -- SORRY FOR SPEAKING
ABOUT THAT AT SUCH A PERSONAL
LEVEL.
BUT WHEN I WAS TALKING TO PEOPLE
ABOUT THIS NEW GUIDANCE AND WHAT
TO ASK HER, EVERYBODY HAD SUCH
PERSONAL FEELINGS ABOUT IT AND I
REALIZED I DID TOO.
PART OF IT IS I’LL HAVE TO
REWIRE MYSELF SO WHEN I SEE
SOMEBODY OUT IN THE WORLD WHO
DOESN’T HAVE A MASK I DON’T
INSTANTLY THINK, YOU ARE A
THREAT.
OR YOU ARE SELFISH OR YOU’RE A
COVID DENIER AND YOU HAVEN’T
BEEN VACCINATED.
WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO REWIRE
HOW WE THINK ABOUT EACH OTHER,
BECAUSE THE CDC GUIDANCE -- SHE
JUST TOLD ME, WE ARE SURE, IF
YOU’RE VACCINATED YOU DON’T NEED
TO WEAR A MASK EXCEPT IN
SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES.
THAT MEANS AS WE CHANGE AS A
COUNTRY WE’RE GOING TO LOOK AT
EACH OTHER DIFFERENTLY AND
UNWIRE OUR PRECONCEPTIONS ABOUT
WHAT A MASK OR LACK OF A MASK
MEANS.
PRESIDENT BIDEN SPOKE TO THAT
TODAY ASKING PEOPLE TO --
PRESIDENT BIDEN AND DR. FAUCI
BOTH SPOKE TO THAT, ASKING
PEOPLE TO BE PATIENT, BE
COMPASSIONATE, RESPECT WHATEVER
THEY DECIDE ON THIS FRONT
BECAUSE WITH THE CHANGING
GUIDANCE WE’RE GOING TO HAVE
CHANGING NORMS AND WE HAVE TO
GIVE EACH OTHER SPACE TO HAVE
FEELINGS AS WE GO THROUGH WHAT’S
GOING TO BE A BIG CHANGE THAT’S
GOING TO CREATE A LOT OF