Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House chief adviser for the coronavirus, doesn’t see the decision to wear face masks as a “personal choice” because of the highly transmissible delta variant.
How does Dr. Fauci feel about face masks?
Fauci recently spoke on ABC’s “This Week” about the spread of the delta variant and how face masks play a role in stopping the spread. However, he said he disagrees with people who feel they have a right to choose whether to wear a mask.
- “I respectfully disagree with them,” Fauci said on ABC’s “This Week.” “There are things that are individual responsibilities that one has, and there are things that have to do with you individually which also impact others, and the spread of infection that we’re seeing now … is impacting everyone in the country.”
- “Although you want to respect a person’s individual right, when you’re dealing with a public health situation, and we are in fact in a very serious public health challenge here … a person’s individual decision to not wear a mask not only impacts them … but you very well may infect another person who may be vulnerable,” he added.
Should you wear a mask again?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that people who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 wear masks indoors again in certain situations, specifically in locations that have a higher transmission rate, as I wrote for the Deseret News.
- That decision came after the CDC discovered that the delta variant can spread as fast as chickenpox, even among fully vaccinated people, who might get the virus in breakthrough cases (a rare situation in itself), according to the Deseret News.
Which face mask is best?
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former Food and Drug Administration commissioner, said Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation” last week that the KN95 mask or an N95 mask can protect you best from the delta variant.
- “So it’s not more airborne and it’s not more likely to be permeable to a mask. So a mask can still be helpful,” Gottlieb said on “Face the Nation” Sunday. “I think, though, if you’re going to consider wearing a mask, the quality of the mask does matter. So if you can get your hands on a KN95 mask or an N95 masks, that’s going to afford you a lot more protection.”