NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The CDC is now saying COVID-19 is no longer a “constant crisis” as more and more venues lift restrictions put in place when metrics were grim.
“Cases are going down, hospitalizations, and even deaths and that’s a very good sign if it’s sustained,” said Dr. William Schaffner, who’s part of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. He weighed in on the expected changes to mask guidance from the nation’s top health experts.
“My anticipation is that the CDC will say, moving away from masks will be largely locally decided,” Dr. Schaffner said. “I do think they will provide a caution for people who are immunocompromised, and people who have serious underlying illnesses. They should continue to be careful, perhaps for the indefinite future.”
Schaffner explained this move comes as the nation transitions from a COVID-19 pandemic to a more manageable classification known as “endemic.”
“When we move into an endemic circumstance, the virus kind of smolders, if you will, in the community. Yes, it’s still spreading a little bit, but slowly, making many fewer people ill and fewer people hospitalized,” Dr. Schaffner said.
This is welcome news for many following years of restrictions, but Schaffner said it comes with a word of warning.
“We’ve tried this a couple of times before and then been fooled. Along came delta, and then a little later, along came omicron. So let’s do this carefully and thoughtfully,” Dr. Schaffner said.
As of now, there are no variants of concern on the horizon.
