There have been so many stages of mask mania throughout the pandemic that it's hard to keep track. First it was, "Don't wear masks, they don't work, you're an idiot if you do it." Remember that?
Then it was, "They might provide some protection so wear them in crowded places."
Then it was, "If you don't double-mask literally every time you leave your house you're going to kill twenty million grandmothers."
Now it's, "Ehh, wear whatever you want, we guess, make up your own mind about what that means":
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday updated its guidance on masks for the general public, now saying that people "may choose" to wear N95 and KN95 masks because they offer the best protection against Covid-19.
But the agency stopped short of saying that people should opt for certain masks instead of others, saying that the "CDC continues to recommend that you wear the most protective mask you can that fits well and that you will wear consistently."
This is like next-level scientific standards here. It's hard to believe it took us two years to get to this point.
I mean, sure, the old way of doing public health was different: You conduct research, you test hypotheses, you establish rigorous standards, and you promulgate them to the general public.
Now we've got a better way of doing things: If only you'll wear a mask "consistently," you can pretty much make it whatever you want. Got an old sock? What about a silk handkerchief? Well, so long as you "wear it consistently" and it "fits well" then you're good to go!
We've received some exclusive footage of the COVID science strategy meetings over at the CDC:
Can't wait to see what the guidance will look like next week! Who knows!
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