1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,160 JUDY WOODRUFF: In many states, fully vaccinated Americans can now resume 2 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:08,000 a large variety of activities without wearing a mask. 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 The new guidance announced yesterday by the CDC was met with jubilation in many quarters, 4 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:18,760 but there are concerns the changes for indoor masking are happening too quickly. 5 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:21,760 Lisa Desjardins follows up on those questions. 6 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:26,760 LISA DESJARDINS: Judy, some of those concerns are tied to the country's vaccination rates. 7 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:33,200 More than half of all Americans are not yet fully vaccinated. And when you add 8 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:38,200 Americans under 18 years old, the nation is at just 36 percent fully vaccinated. 9 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:43,440 Many places may not be ready to ditch their masking requirements yet. 10 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:47,920 We look at those concerns with Dr. Ranit Mishori. She is a professor of family medicine 11 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:52,800 at Georgetown University and senior medical adviser to Physicians for Human Rights. 12 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:57,280 For the record, she's also an adviser to our parent company, WETA. 13 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:00,240 Ranit, thank you so much for joining us. Good to talk to you. 14 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:02,560 Let's start with these concerns over health. 15 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:08,120 What are you concerned about, particularly about the indoor mask-wearing or not? 16 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:10,720 Dr. RANIT MISHORI, Georgetown University School of Medicine: Thanks, Lisa. 17 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:15,720 I think many experts and Americans are a little bit concerned that this may be perhaps premature, 18 00:01:18,320 --> 00:01:23,120 perhaps too early. As you mentioned, only 36 percent of Americans are fully 19 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:28,120 vaccinated. And if you look at subgroups, we're talking about 27 percent among Blacks. 20 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:33,880 So this is becoming a vaccine equity issue, when you think about who which populations are 21 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:40,920 more have higher rates of vaccination, and those tend to be more whites and more affluent people. 22 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:44,720 So, the concern is, it's not fair, 23 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:49,720 and those benefiting are those that maybe not do not need the protection so much. 24 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:52,720 LISA DESJARDINS: Hmm. 25 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:57,600 The Centers for Disease Control say the studies show that people who are fully vaccinated 26 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:01,280 are, by and large, strongly protected and 27 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:06,840 they also see studies showing that they are unlikely to be able to pass on the disease. 28 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:11,880 So, taking that equity issue, is there also a health issue, or no? Is it safe for people 29 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:17,360 who are fully vaccinated? Are they a threat to anyone else without their masks indoors? 30 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:20,400 Dr. RANIT MISHORI: I think that, definitely, the vaccines are very, 31 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,120 very effective, and those studies are right. 32 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:28,120 But at a time when we don't know who is fully vaccinated, you don't know if the person in front 33 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:33,040 of you is fully vaccinated, there are people who cannot get vaccinated. There are children 34 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:38,040 who cannot get vaccinated. So a lot of people are feeling unsafe. And there are currently no ways 35 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:45,000 of determining or asking people about their vaccination status. 36 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:50,040 There is no local systems. And, in fact, it's perhaps not 37 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:54,240 part of an etiquette to be able to ask the person in front of you 38 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:58,080 at the checkout counter, excuse me, you're not wearing a mask, but are you fully vaccinated? 39 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:03,080 So, we're hearing from a lot of people concerned about that, concerned that maybe people who 40 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:08,680 are immunocompromised and cannot mount a full response, children and other vulnerable people, 41 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:16,520 may actually have to continue wearing a mask, and sort of defeats the purpose here. 42 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:21,680 LISA DESJARDINS: I know you're not just thinking about these in an academic or philosophical sense. 43 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:26,680 You work at Georgetown University, and I know you're helping advise them on what to do 44 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:31,760 with patients in their facilities. I'm really curious. We heard from some folks 45 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:36,240 earlier in the broadcast about the dilemma a lot of businesses are in. 46 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:39,360 What are your concerns for who enforces this 47 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:42,800 or not when it comes to just regular run-of-the-mill activity? 48 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:45,280 Dr. RANIT MISHORI: I think you're absolutely right. 49 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:50,280 And we're not unique. And all businesses, institutions are currently in a bit of a 50 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:55,440 chaotic situation. It's very confusing, because it's, sadly, up to us, 51 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,720 up to the until individual businesses, up to individual institutions, 52 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:03,120 to decide whether or not they're going to endorse the CDC recommendations. 53 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:07,520 It's up to states. It's up to municipalities. So, this is causing a little bit of confusion. 54 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:12,720 And you can -- as the people in the segment you showed before, the business owners, 55 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:19,000 have said, what is going to happen when people unmasked are going to come in? 56 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:23,680 Am I going to feel safe going into a place that doesn't require masking? 57 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:28,680 Or am I, as a business owner, as a person leading an institution, do I have the right to ask 58 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:34,600 people to step outside and leave or show me their vaccination record? So, it's going to cause a lot 59 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:40,920 of confusion, and it's going to make it a little messy to know how to behave in different settings. 60 00:04:41,840 --> 00:04:46,840 LISA DESJARDINS: A confusing time, but one of hope. 61 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:50,000 Thank you for helping us put our hands around where we are right now, 62 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,160 Dr. Ranit Mishori of Georgetown University. 63 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:55,840 DR. RANIT MISHORI: Thank you so much.