CDC Chief Says Mask Guidelines Unchanged as Delta Variant Surges

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not revised its masking guidance, even as the infectious Delta variant of COVID-19 continues to sweep the United States, driving up case counts, CDC director Rochelle Walensky said during a Thursday press call.

Walensky declined to say if the CDC is considering changing the guidance.

The 7-day average of new cases in the United States is up 53%, Walensky said on the call. The Delta variant, which was first found in India, now comprises more than 80% of new cases nationwide and has been detected in more than 90 countries.