CNN Medical Analyst, Dr. Leana Wen criticized the CDC’s new guidelines for people who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, saying they were “overly cautious in a way that defies common sense”.
The new guidelines advise Americans who have been fully vaccinated that they can safely meet with others who are also vaccinated and avoid quarantine after being exposed to someone with Covid-19, as long as they are asymptomatic. However, the CDC still discouraged travel.
Wen said CNN Newsroom anchor Brooke Baldwin that she would like the guidelines to go further than they did, because the three vaccines that have been authorized by the FDA so far were all “safe and extremely effective, especially in preventing serious illness, preventing hospitalization and death” for people who are vaccinated, and there was also “growing evidence that taking vaccines also reduces your likelihood of being a carrier”.
Baldwin commented that many people, including herself, thought they could feel safe when they boarded a plane to see their family members. “The civil aviation industry today is really opposing these new CDC guidelines that people who are fully vaccinated should still avoid travel. Why is the CDC encouraging people who have been fully vaccinated not to travel? “
“So this is one of those examples where I think the CDC is being overly cautious in a way that defies common sense,” replied Wen, “because look what they are saying about the quarantine”, noting that the CDC was not encouraging vaccination, people should be quarantined or even tested after exposure, as long as they are asymptomatic.
“It just doesn’t make sense that you can’t travel, especially if you can now get together with your loved ones.”
Wen said he felt it was very important to give better guidance on travel, because “many people are eager to see their grandchildren that they don’t necessarily live with”.
In fact, Wen added, “I would go further and say that people who are fully vaccinated should be able to travel, should be encouraged to travel”, using “restoring freedom” as an incentive to encourage people to get vaccinated.
Watch the video above, on CNN.
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