CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and Sanjay Gupta dinged the Biden administration over what they called “confusing” messaging by CDC chief Rochelle Walensky over the coronavirus.
During Friday’s CNN Newsroom, Blitzer, filling in for Jim Sciutto, summarized that Walensky has said that the changing guidance isn’t about messaging, rather “changing science.”
“But do you worry the CDC will lose the trust of the American people as a result of these frequent changes because, as you and I well know, there is a lot of confusion out there,” Blitzer asked Gupta.
Gupta answered affirmatively.
“Yeah, unfortunately, Wolf, I do. I think we’ve seen some of that erosion of trust over the last couple of years for sure. And it is difficult, to be sure, to inject certainty into a very uncertain situation,” he said. “But I think the transparency around these things is what’s lacking. People understand that the science is changing, that the pandemic, the nature of the pandemic, changes, but to be very clear about why guidelines are changing and be open about that I think is important.”
As of Dec. 27, the CDC guidance on quarantining for the general public when it comes to Covid is that those with Covid “should isolate for 5 days and if they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving (without fever for 24 hours), follow that by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others to minimize the risk of infecting people they encounter.”
Blitzer mentioned that “a
“After five days, can he go out and about assuming he doesn’t have any major symptoms or anything along those lines? Does he actually need after 10 days to get a test, which shows he’s negative right now,” asked Blitzer. “Because these guidelines from the CDC are confusing about do you need a test to be able to resume your day-to-day activity.”
Gupta said “no” and noted that “this is a question … everyone is asking.”
Blitzer and Gupta’s criticism of the CDC comes as Walensky is reportedly undergoing media training as she has come under fire for mixed messaging surrounding Covid guidance.
Watch above, via CNN.