The CDC Should Keep the Focus Where It Belongs

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is coming in for criticism over its most recent change of guidance on masks in the fight against Covid-19. Some of these complaints are justified, some unfair. The main thing is to keep the focus on what matters most — getting people vaccinated as quickly as possible. Confusion over the CDC guidance risks becoming a distraction from that overriding priority.

The agency’s recommendations on masking changed abruptly at the end of last month. Previously officials had said that vaccinated people didn’t need to wear masks because they were well protected against the virus and unlikely to spread it to others. They now recommend that fully vaccinated people “wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission” — which, as the agency points out, is most of the country. Some jurisdictions promptly ordered masks to be worn in offices and other indoor settings regardless of whether some, most, or all of the people inside had gotten their shots.