Recently, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said she is “cautiously optimistic” that the outbreak of the new coronavirus (CCA) is under control. She noted that people who have been fully vaccinated do not need to wear masks or maintain social distance, and that the federal government does not mandate vaccination.
In an interview on “Fox Sunday News” on Sunday, May 16, Varensky said, “It’s too early to declare victory, and we have to remain humble. I’m cautiously optimistic that we’re in a good place and that the number of infections continues to decline.”
On the same day, in an interview with NBC, she said, “We’re approaching the unsealing very clearly, and the science now tells us that it’s safe for vaccinated people to take off their masks.”
On May 13, data from the CDC’s website showed that 123 million people, or about one-third of the population, have been vaccinated in the U.S. The CDC sees the fact that these people no longer need to wear masks as an important milestone in restoring a sense of business operations and social normalcy.
Now, even though fully vaccinated people are starting to take off their masks, there are still celebrities among them who are experiencing breakthrough cases of infection, which is causing concern. Comedian Bill Maher and all eight members of the New York Yankees baseball team were reportedly vaccinated, but still tested positive for the new coronavirus.
There has been controversy in the community over the CCP virus vaccine, which has discouraged millions of people in the United States from getting vaccinated. On the issue, Walensky told NBC news hosts Sunday, “We’re not going to force people to get vaccinated. (But) it’s likely that local businesses, jurisdictions, will try to push for mandatory vaccination. It will be driven by local governments or agencies, not by the federal government.”
She noted that some universities already require students to be vaccinated before school starts in the fall. New York Gov. Cuomo (D), for one, has said that students at New York public universities must be vaccinated before they can return to class.
Commenting on whether private companies will require proof of vaccination from their employees in the future, she said, “It will depend on the industry …… I can see how difficult it would be to do that.”
Currently, states such as Wyoming, Montana, Arizona, Texas and Florida have blocked the use of vaccine passports. The legislatures in Indiana and Iowa have also passed bills to block vaccine passports. Michigan, Tennessee, New Jersey and New Hampshire are proposing similar measures.
In contrast, New York and some parts of California have introduced electronic CNC virus and testing passports. A few months ago, New York began using Excelsior Pass (vaccination or test negative) e-passes at sports venues, Madison Square Garden, the Times Union Center and the City University of New York, among others.
White House spokesman Jen Psaki said last month that the Biden administration would not support or develop a new coronavirus vaccine passport. “The administration does not now, and will not, support a system that requires Americans to carry proof. The federal government will not have a vaccination database and will not require everyone to have a voucher for vaccination,” she said.
Recent Comments