Republicans Push Back on Joe Biden Admin’s Flip Flopping Mask Guidance

Yesterday, the Biden-Harris administration released new mask guidance, advising even vaccinated individuals to wear masks. The guidance also says that everyone in K-12 schools — vaccinated or not — should wear masks. This flip flop came just two months after Biden’s CDC advised vaccinated individuals need not wear masks and less than one month after he declared “we are beating this virus.”

Republican leaders immediately pushed back and called out Joe Biden’s CDC for their reversal. 

The CDC shifts their position AGAIN.

South Dakota's cases remain low. If you're worried about the virus, you're free to get vaccinated, wear a mask, or stay at home. But we won't be mandating anything. And the CDC's inconsistency doesn't help the American people.

— Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) July 27, 2021

Texas Governor Greg Abbott promised no new mandates in his state.

The time for government mask mandates is over—now is the time for personal responsibility.

In May, I signed an executive order prohibiting mask mandates by gov't entities.

Every Texan has the right to choose whether they will wear a mask or have their children wear masks.

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) July 27, 2021

Florida Governor Ron Desantis’ office told Fox News that the new guidance is counterproductive because it erodes confidence in the Covid vaccines.

Fox News: “It isn’t based in science. There is no indication that areas with mask mandates have performed any better than areas without mask mandates. In fact, this policy could actually backfire,” DeSantis press secretary Christina Pushaw told Fox News.

“Mandating masks for vaccinated people erodes public trust and confidence in the effectiveness of the vaccines. To me it appears that the government wants to be perceived as ‘doing something’ during a seasonal infection surge, even if their policy does not necessarily make people safer.”

Even some Democrats said they had no plans to follow the politically-motivated guidance from Joe Biden’s CDC.

Bottom Line: By advising vaccinated people to wear masks, the Biden Administration is undermining the country’s pandemic recovery and confidence in the vaccines.