Some cities could return to indoor masking. Here’s what you need to know.

Each of these developments is alarming in its own way. But none of them seem to have shaken public consciousness in the way previous pandemic news might have. in the CNN’s latest national pollCovid-19 was a key concern for just 26% of voters, far behind the economy, abortion and the climate crisis.

There is a good reason for this: a significant one percentage of Americans get vaccinated — although the percentage who have received a booster shot is lower — and there are new treatments that offer better outcomes for those who get the virus. For example, although Biden’s age puts him at risk for severe Covid-19 because of these advances, his experience with the coronavirus should be very different from that of President Donald Trump, who was hospitalized for days October 2020. (Biden, who is double boosted, receives the antiviral Paxlovidand wrote his doctor Sunday that his “symptoms continue to improve significantly.”)

And it’s not just LA responding to rising case numbers and hospital admissions. The proportion of the US population living in a county with a “high Covid-19 community level” where the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends universal indoor masking has increased in the past doubled in the last two weeks. And as Americans have switched to faster home testing, official case numbers reflect only a fraction of the true burden of the disease.

For this we turned to Dr. Leana Wen, medical analyst at CNN and professor of public health at George Washington University. Our conversation, which was emailed and edited slightly for flow and brevity, is below.

What matters: Does the recent spike in Covid-19 cases necessitate a return of indoor mask requirements?

WHOM: There is a big difference between a recommendation for individuals to wear a mask and a government-imposed mask requirement. Government mandates for public health precautions should be used sparingly for emergencies where there is no other option. This is not that time.

I worry that trust will be so eroded that if a mask mandate is indeed needed – if there is a much deadlier variant, or if hospitals are once again overwhelmed – there will be no appetite at that point to accept mitigation measures.

What matters: What should lawmakers consider when considering whether to reintroduce indoor mask requirements?

What matters: At this point in the pandemic, when should we mask ourselves on an individual level and when can we not?

WHOM: It depends on the person and how much they still want to avoid Covid-19. Those who prioritize avoiding infection should continue to mask – but make sure they use an N95 or equivalent (KN95 or KF94), that it fits well and that they use it in all indoor public spaces.

What matters: Is there anything else you would like to add to this?

WHOM: It is both true that masks reduce the risk of virus transmission and the requirement to wear masks is very controversial. I urge lawmakers to focus on tools that don’t provoke as much public backlash and that do as much – or even more – than government-imposed masking.