CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky says the U.S. isn’t ready to roll back COVID-19 masking or testing requirements, including testing for inbound travelers to the U.S.
“We’re not quite ready to do so yet,” Walensky said, noting that the hospitalization rate in the country, though on the decline, is still is at a concerning level.
“We always need to be prepared for what may come around the corner,” she said.
Though some states on the East Coast — including New Jersey, Connecticut, and Delaware — have recently relaxed mask mandates for certain indoor spots, Walensky advises that masking rules stay in place.
“[The] CDC has not amended our guidance right now. We continue to recommend masking in schools for everyone. We continue to recommend masking in public indoor settings, in areas of higher substantial transmission — and that right now is everywhere in the country,” she said.
International travelers
Airlines have been asking the White House for a rollback in testing requirements for inbound travelers on international flights. In December, the U.S. imposed stricter rules requiring overseas air travelers to test negative for COVID within one day of their flights.
Walensky says the CDC is cognizant of COVID’s economic impact on the travel industry, but stressed that the world is still learning about the virus, how it is transmitted, and the disease it causes — and that’s why it’s necessary to be cautious and follow established standards for respiratory viruses.
“We continue to learn more and more,” she said. “The standard principles remain the same — the more ventilation the better. We know that masking works, and we know if you can wear a better fitting mask, the better.”
She added, “We are looking toward a time when we are out of this crisis mode, that we are living with this disease.”
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