CDC director says mask turnaround based solely on science

(AP) The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is defending the decision to ease mask-wearing guidance for fully vaccinated people, stressing that increasing political pressure had nothing to do with the abrupt shift in guidelines.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told FOX News Sunday that she delivered the science as soon as it was available.

To date more than 156 million Americans, or more than 47% of the population, have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and more than 121 million are fully vaccinated.

Walensky cautioned that even with the new guidelines, it was still too early to declare victory, but added that she was cautiously optimistic about the pandemic.