CDC Director ‘Enthusiastic’ About Updating Guidance After Criticism of Slow Lifting of Mask Restrictions

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention speaks during a House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis on the Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, April 15, 2021. Amr Alfiky/The New York Times via AP, Pool

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said in interviews Wednesday that she looks forward to updating the agency’s guidance on COVID-19-related public health measures following criticism that the CDC was moving too slowly to recommend further easing of masking requirements for vaccinated people in outdoor settings.

The CDC updated its guidelines on April 27, recommending lifting some restrictions for fully vaccinated individuals, although urging such people to wear a mask outdoors when in crowded settings.