Former CDC Director Warns Lifting of Mask Mandates Is ‘Very Dangerous’ Right Now

Former CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden warned on Fox News Sunday that the lifting of mask mandates right now would be a “very dangerous” idea.

Texas and Mississippi are lifting mask mandates and rolling back covid restrictions.

Frieden told Fox News’ Chris Wallace that there certainly is “a lot of good news coming” and said he would distinguish between reasonable debate on reopening the economy and the “simply wrong” idea mask mandates should be lifted already.

He said there’s a lot of harm that comes from closing businesses, “so it’s really important to get our economy open again as safely as possible.”

“On the other hand, masks, you know, the only freedom a mask inhibits is the freedom of the virus to spread and kill people,” Frieden continued. “Masks work. Mask mandates work. And lifting mask mandates is very dangerous, particularly with the risk of more dangerous variants emerging and spreading.”

Wallace asked if he’s concerned about reopenings across the country happening too fast.

Frieden said keeping a mask mandate in place is how you can make reopenings safer — “not just to other customers, but the workers there as well.”

“Mask mandates are a way of preserving our health and our economy.”

You can watch above, via Fox News Sunday.