Mask Guidelines Remain In Place Despite State Level Adjustment

White House says priority is to prevent hospitalisations and will continue to work closely with state legislators but declines to update the White House policy on masks.

• Understands the need to be flexible but the CDC is not changing its guidelines on mask mandates in schools. Continues to recommend masking in schools and high risk places.
• CDC Chief Rochelle Walensky: Policy will have to be made at local level.
• Walensky: This week tragic new mark of 900,000 deaths in the US.
• Testing in ‘wastewater’ can give early warning sign for Covid spikes. 800 testing sites operational in the next few weeks. When paired with traditional disease surveillance techniques can prevent another Omicron surge.
• ‘Fauci: All eligible people should get booster shots. Booster shots keep you out of hospital and save lives.’
• The positive January jobs data is due to the White House vaccine rollout.