"It's not their fault. People either read them quickly, or listen and hear half of it. They are feeling that we're saying: 'You don't need the mask anymore.' That's not what the CDC said.
"They said: If you are vaccinated, you can feel safe — that you will not get infected either outdoors or indoors. It did not explicitly say that unvaccinated people should abandon their masks."
Fauci's remarks follow his defense of businesses opting to keep sweeping mask mandates in place, because, according to the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director, such entities are unable to confirm who is vaccinated and who is not, presenting a "problem." During an appearance on Good Morning America, he said:
"The problem and the issue is that we don't have any way of knowing who is vaccinated and who's not vaccinated. I think that's where the confusion arises because there are some establishments who are saying, 'Well, I'm going to have people coming into my establishment or my store or what have you. Some are going to be vaccinated, some are not. I'm not going to know the difference.'Last week's CDC guidance states that fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.
"Some might be infected and might actually have a risk of infecting someone else. And under those circumstances, it's perfectly reasonable and understandable for the owner of that establishment to say, 'You know, we're going to keep the mask mandate up.' And that's what we're seeing"
Major retailers — including Target, Starbucks, and Walmart — have since lifted their hardline mask mandates, allowing vaccinated customers to forgo wearing a face covering. However, the companies are not asking for proof of vaccination, leading to Fauci's apparent concerns.
Meanwhile, some state leaders have continued taking action to roll back coronavirus-related restrictions. On Tuesday, for example, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed an executive order barring localities from enforcing mask mandates. He stated:
"Texans, not government, should decide their best health practices, which is why masks will not be mandated by public school districts or government entities. We can continue to mitigate COVID-19 while defending Texans' liberty to choose whether or not they mask up."
Comment: COVID CONFUSION-19 brought to you once again by Dr. Fauci. Businesses cannot, and should not, be privy to who has had the vaccine and who hasn't.
See also: Biden administration will allow businesses and institutions to demand proof of vaccination