The White House pointed back to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when repeatedly pressed about school mask mandates on Monday.
The governors of Delaware and New Jersey, both Democrats, announced sunset dates for mask mandates earlier in the day, leading to a slew of questions about the Biden administration‘s stance.
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“[The CDC’s] guidance continues to be that in schools, people should mask up, so that is what we are continuing to convey and recommend,” said White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
The CDC is an executive branch agency, though President Joe Biden has pledged to follow its recommendations when setting policy.
Nonetheless, numerous Democratic governors are beginning to distance themselves from mask mandates. The requirements are also expiring in the Denver area after Colorado Gov. Jared Polis declined to issue a statewide requirement.
New Jersey and Delaware will still allow local school boards to force children to wear masks, in contrast to Republican governors such as Florida’s Ron DeSantis and Virginia’s Glenn Youngkin, who have forbidden requirements.
Five reporters asked Psaki about masks on Monday, as the loosening of mask mandates conflicts with the CDC’s guidance.
“What does it say that a governor like [New Jersey’s] Phil Murphy, who has been so closely aligned with the policies of this administration, would get ahead of the medical experts and say, ‘Nevermind what they say. School districts, you decide’?” one reporter asked.
Psaki responded that the decision has always been up to school districts, “and our policy from the federal government is to continue to advise everybody to abide by public health guidelines.”
Friday’s strong jobs report and public polling suggest that most are moving past treating COVID-19 as an emergency. A Monmouth University poll found that 70% agree with the sentiment that “it’s time we accept that Covid is here to stay and we just need to get on with our lives.” Fully 89% of Republicans agreed with the statement, as did 71% of independents, compared to just 47% of Democrats.
The issue is likely to become a factor in November’s elections. A group of Republican House members led by Minority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Kentucky’s James Comer, ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, has asked the CDC to lift masking recommendations for school children.
When asked if the public believes it’s time for a change in the CDC’s guidance, Psaki acknowledged widespread frustration with the policy.
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“We certainly understand and have seen in polling that the public is tired of COVID,” Psaki said. “We understand that, and there have been some good signs recently where there has been a decrease in hospitalizations around the country … but our responsibility at the federal government is to rely on the data and the science that is being analyzed by our public health experts, and we’ll continue to rely on that for what recommendations we’re making.”
