‘Let Me Finish’ Psaki Plows Through Fox Reporter’s Question on When CDC May Update Mask Guidance

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki plowed through a Fox News reporter’s interruption to explain when the CDC might update mask guidelines as several states end mask mandates.

At a White House press briefing Tuesday, Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich pressed Psaki for a second consecutive day on CDC mask guidelines. At issue: the fact that states like New Jersey and Delaware are lifting statewide school mask mandates, while the CDC continues to recommend universal masking in schools.

When Heinrich tried to interrupt, Psaki kept going, finishing her response before answering Heinrich’s follow-up:

MS. HEINRICH: When are we going to hear from the CDC on this guidance? California yesterday changed their guidance. Randi Weingarten — teachers union — is vocally asking for the White House and the CDC to weigh in. So when are we going to hear from the CDC about updating the guidance on masks?

MS. PSAKI: You’ll have to ask the CDC. The CDC moves at the pace of data and science. I would note that our goal remains continuing to ensure that there is guidance that helps school districts stay open. That’s our goal. We want kids to be in school. Ninety-eight percent of schools are open. That’s a very —

MS. HEINRICH: Do —

MS. PSAKI: Let me finish. That’s a very good sign.

MS. HEINRICH: Do you believe —

MS. PSAKI: We know what works. The CDC is always going to be reviewing their guidance, including mask guidance. But in terms of when they will provide additional new guidance, that is up to them.

MS. HEINRICH: Do you believe then that the Democratic- led states who are breaking with the CDC on this guidance, that they’re not — that they’re throwing science away and that the CDC is — has access to different science somehow?

MS. PSAKI: We don’t look at it through that prism. These states, I think it’s important to note, they still allow for decisions to be made by local school districts.

Where we come up with concern — where we have great concern is if a kid or a parent chooses to wear a mask or a school district decides they should keep mask guidance in place and there are leaders who are preventing them from doing that. That is the place [case] in some other states.

But our hope is that states, leaders will look at the science and data about what’s going on, they’ll make decisions about local school districts. Local school districts have always made these decisions. That remains the case.

Watch above via C-Span.

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