CBS, NBC Guests Fret Over End of Mask Mandates on Planes, Trains as Dangerous

Less than 24 hours after Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle struck down the Biden administration’s mask mandate on planes and public transportation, Tuesday’sCBS Mornings and NBC’s Get it Today stood up for those still paralyzed in fear of the coronavirus, tag-teaming with medical experts to fret people wouldn’t accept two more weeks of masking and that we’ve placed such a dangerous burden on immunocompromised individuals.

Gayle King (co-host, Democratic donor) led the charge. CBS MorningsInterview with Celine Gounder (ex-Biden COVID-19 advisor board member): “There are a lot of people that are cheering, as you saw on the planes, saying it’s about time. Others disagree. Do you agree? Is this a good idea to lift the mask at this time?”

This teed up Gounder to fret that she’s “concerned that we just don’t have quite enough information”Information about the latest virus variant and how to keep the mandates for the mask in place “another two weeks was really the appropriate, cautious approach here.”

Two weeks, huh? Doesn’t that sound reminiscent of something we heard in March 2020?

King switched gears for the immunocompromised “And what about people that have, you know, highly compromised immune systems? What does this mean for them?”

Gounder commiserated, stating this current “phase of the pandemic…put[s] the onus entirely on those who are immunocompromised to protect themselves” even though “many…don’t even know they’re immunocompromised” which, for example, would include the obese.

Despite the idolatry toward masks on the left, King insisted “we’re all sick of wearing a mask” and she doesn’t “know anybody that likes to wear” one before asking Gounder whether the Biden administration should fight back or “just move on.”

Gounder said Mizelle might have defamed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They could not have instituted mask mandates if a pandemic or mutation strikes the population. “[W]There will be other pandemics following COVID. I think it is really foolish to take away an important tool from our toolbox. That option is essential.[.]”

NBC presented its own brand of fear and unpredictability. Savannah Guthrie, co-host, opened the show with Dr. Richard Besser’s question. “[I]You can find it here [lifting the mandate] safe to do so? Do you have any safety, public health concerns about the masks coming down?”

Like Gounder, Besser gave the left-wing audience what they wanted to hear as, along with needing to cater to the immunocompromised, people should still mask up as a sign of respect if most people around them are (click “expand”):

Savannah, you know that we all desire to go back to normal life as it was before the pandemic. You know the good news: As the threat to the public declines, there is a general decrease in restrictions across the nation. You know, I had — I had hoped the transit requirement for masks would be one of the last things that went away and the reason for that is that there are a lot of people who don’t have a choice when it comes to travel and there are people who have disabilities, who have medical conditions that puts them in greater risk who are in situations where they are shoulder to shoulder with fellow passengers on a bus on a train, in a subway. 

And if the people around them are not wearing masks, they — yes, people can wear their own masks, but there’s added protection when you are that close for a long period of time if those people around you also have a mask. So, I — I would hope that people would respect those around them and if there are people around you who are wearing masks that you put yours on. It’s not difficult to do. 

To their credit, they noted that it is much safer to unmask on an airplane given “the air flow,” but their segment wrapped with Besser also warning about Mizelle putting people in danger if the CDC can’t help “prevent the spread of infectious diseases” in the future:

[M]y biggest concern Savannah is that, you know, if — if the CDC loses its power to prevent the spread of infectious diseases between states or coming into the country, we are all at great risk, so I hope that this ruling is challenged because in the next pandemic, the next big public health crisis, we want the CDC to be able to put in scientifically-based, rational restrictions that protect people’s health.

Tuesday morning’s COVID fear porn was brought to you thanks to advertisers such as Honda (on NBC) and Kohl’s (on CBS). Follow the links to see their contact information at the MRC’s Conservatives Fight Back page.

To see the relevant transcripts from April 19, click “expand.”

CBS Mornings
April 19, 2022
Eastern, 7:09 AM

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Court Strikes Down Mask Mandate; Dr. Celine Gounder on Decision to End Mandate on Public Transportation]

KING: Help us to sort it all. Many people are cheering as you could see on the planes. They are saying that it is about time. Others disagree. Do you agree? Do you think it is a smart idea to remove the mask right now? 

DR.CELINE GOUNDER. For just two additional weeks, the CDC had delayed lifting masking from public transportation and airplanes. Right now, we’re waiting to see how this new ba.2 variant — this newer subvariant of omicron — how that’s going to play out across the country. If it proves to be mild, then the CDC will let these mandates expire. I — I am concerned that we just don’t have quite enough information yet, and another two weeks was really the appropriate, cautious approach here. 

KING: What about those with compromised immune systems? What does all this mean? 

GOUNDER. Now, we are in an era of pandemics where those with compromised immune systems have to take responsibility for their own protection. This means we have to ensure that people who are immunocompromised have high-quality, best-quality masks. It could be either an N95 or KN95. Remember that immunocompromised patients often don’t realize they have it. A lot of Americans have obesity and type 2 diabetes. This causes milder immunocompromise. Many Americans don’t have insurance or primary care physicians so they may not know the diagnosis. 

KING: I’m sorry, we all get sick of wearing masks. I know no one who wears a mask. My mask was also lost on me when I attempted to drink on the plane. That’s how used I’ve got to wearing it. Do you feel this ruling should be appealed? Or should we just accept it as is and move on with our lives, according to your opinions? 

GOUNDER: The real question here is what does this mean for the CDC’s power to reimpose a mask mandate. This decision could be repealed to keep those CDC powers in place for a possible future surge or pandemic. 

KING: What do you think of a “what-if” scenario? Because we’re still not out of this. Don’t you think there’s still more to come with this pan — with this pandemic and COVID in general? 

GOUNDER: Yeah, there’s certainly more to come. It is well-known that the virus can mutate. It’s actually mutating rapidly. There will be more variations and there will be other pandemics. I think it’s a bad idea to take away an important tool from our toolbox. We should always have an option in case of another emergency. 

KING (Dr. Celine): We thank you so much. Please know that you have the option to remove your mask. We are grateful.

—

NBC’sToday
April 19, 2022
Eastern at 7:07

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: CDC’s Travel Mask Mandate Overturned]

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE (Savanna): That was quick. Nearly as quickly as the ruling is announced, many airlines which had been pressing for the expiration of their mask mandate lifted all requirements. We won’t be arguing about whether you support the legal decision. Is it safe? Is there any concern for safety and public health about the downing of the masks? 

DR. RICHARD BEESSER: Savannah, all of us want to return to the way we were before this pandemic. You know the good news: As the threat to the public declines, there is a general decrease in restrictions across the nation. You know, I had — I had hoped the transit requirement for masks would be one of the last things that went away and the reason for that is that there are a lot of people who don’t have a choice when it comes to travel and there are people who have disabilities, who have medical conditions that puts them in greater risk who are in situations where they are shoulder to shoulder with fellow passengers on a bus on a train, in a subway. And if the people around them are not wearing masks, they — yes, people can wear their own masks, but there’s added protection when you are that close for a long period of time if those people around you also have a mask. So, I — I would hope that people would respect those around them and if there are people around you who are wearing masks that you put yours on. It’s not difficult to do. 

GUTHRIE: We mentioned some of the public transport agencies around — transit agencies around the country have differing rules. Is there a qualitative or public health difference in your mind between the safety of airline travel — airport travel versus a subway or a metro? 

BESSER: Yes, I believe so. You know, it’s a bit counterintuitive. But actually the air flow in airplanes is — is much better than you’ll see in other transit situations. You are most at risk from the person next to or behind you on an airplane. New York subways are my favourite. You’re often in a car with people very, very close to you without that same kind of airflow. When you’re — when you’re on a bus, a similar situation and when you think about the people who work in those situations, they don’t have a choice. So, you know, we are getting to a point in this pandemic where — where our lives are getting back towards normal. But I would encourage people to follow their public health recommendations even if they’re not required to by law. 

GUTHRIE: Yeah.

BESSER: But my biggest concern Savannah is that, you know, if — if the CDC loses its power to prevent the spread of infectious diseases between states or coming into the country, we are all at great risk, so I hope that this ruling is challenged because in the next pandemic, the next big public health crisis, we want the CDC to be able to put in scientifically-based, rational restrictions that protect people’s health.