Former surgeon general says CDC guidance on masks ‘premature’ and ‘wrong’

Former Surgeon General Jerome Adams said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidance lifting mask recommendations for fully vaccinated Americans was “premature” and “wrong.”

Adams, who served in the role under former President Trump, said in a lengthy Twitter thread that he feared the CDC made its decision prematurely amid the rise of the delta variant.

“Last year [Anthony] Fauci and I famously, prematurely, & wrongly advised against masks. I felt it was the best call at the time, but now regret it. I’m worried the CDC also made a similarly premature, misinterpreted, yet still harmful call on masking in the face of delta variant,” Adams said.

Last year Tony Fauci and I famously, prematurely, & wrongly advised against masks. I felt it was the best call at the time, but now regret it.

I’m worried the CDC also made a similarly premature, misinterpreted, yet still harmful call on masking in the face of ⬆️ delta variant.

— Jerome Adams (@JeromeAdamsMD) July 17, 2021

The comment from Adams comes amid surges of coronavirus infections in the U.S. driven by the spread of the delta strain. These outbreaks have centered around areas with lower vaccination rates.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky on Friday warned of a “pandemic of the unvaccinated,” noting that almost all hospitalizations and deaths are of unvaccinated people.

But Los Angeles County and Las Vegas have both mandated residents wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status.

Adams compared the current situation to how federal guidance on masks changed last year.

The former surgeon general said that earlier guidance against masks was “based on the science & conditions at the time.” Even though the science changed, people held on to the belief that masks didn’t work, he noted. 

“What @CDCgov said was based on the science & conditions at the time, and amounted to ‘you’re safe IF you vax it OR mask it,’” Adams said. “Both the conditions (rising cases) & the science (delta variant) changed, but what people heard and held to was masks were no longer needed.” 

Adams said, “The sooner CDC says we were wrong & hits the reset button, the better. Trust me- I know more than anyone.”

Now you have health officials, cities & counties (eg LA County), & likely soon states issuing guidance in direct conflict w/ the mask guidance @CDCgov issued a month ago. The sooner CDC says we were wrong, & hits the reset button, the better.

Trust me- I know more than anyone.

— Jerome Adams (@JeromeAdamsMD) July 17, 2021

He added that the CDC should advise people to get vaccinated and wear masks in areas with higher cases of COVID-19 until numbers start to decline.

“CDC was well intended, but the message was misinterpreted, premature, & wrong. Let’s fix it,” he said.

Instead of vax it OR mask it, the emerging data suggests CDC should be advising to vax it AND mask it in areas with ⬆️ cases and positivity- until we see numbers going back down again.

CDC was well intended, but the message was misinterpreted, premature, & wrong. Let’s fix it.

— Jerome Adams (@JeromeAdamsMD) July 17, 2021