Dr. Osterholm: ‘The Mask Mandate Has Been Really Overstated in How Much It Can Protect People’

BOLDUAN Joining us right ░░░░░░░░ for some more on ░░░░░░░░ is Michael Osterholm He ░░░░░░░░ the Director of the ░░░░░░░░ for Infectious Disease Research ░░░░░░░░ Policy at the University ░░░░░░░░ Minnesota a former member ░░░░░░░░ President Biden s Covid ░░░░░░░░ Board It s good ░░░░░░░░ see you again What ░░░░░░░░ you think putting the ░░░░░░░░ OSTERHOLM Good to see ░░░░░░░░ Kate BOLDUAN side of ░░░░░░░░ aside what do you ░░░░░░░░ of this mess now ░░░░░░░░ confusion around masks in ░░░░░░░░ transportation Do you think ░░░░░░░░ was the right time ░░░░░░░░ make the mandates go ░░░░░░░░ make masks optional OSTERHOLM ░░░░░░░░ you know without sounding ░░░░░░░░ a contrarian or somehow ░░░░░░░░ to undercut public health ░░░░░░░░ have to know that ░░░░░░░░ am a very pro ░░░░░░░░ protection masking person but ░░░░░░░░ requires an N95 respirator ░░░░░░░░ know how highly infectious ░░░░░░░░ virus is and to ░░░░░░░░ face cloth coverings or ░░░░░░░░ surgical masks leaves you ░░░░░░░░ largely unprotected and that ░░░░░░░░ a big challenge Well ░░░░░░░░ you look at the ░░░░░░░░ mandate it was all ░░░░░░░░ the vast majority of ░░░░░░░░ wearing face cloth coverings ░░░░░░░░ surgical masks or if ░░░░░░░░ re on a plane ░░░░░░░░ you re eating or ░░░░░░░░ you don t have ░░░░░░░░ wear it at all ░░░░░░░░ think the mask mandate ░░░░░░░░ been really overstated in ░░░░░░░░ of how much it ░░░░░░░░ protect people If everyone ░░░░░░░░ required to wear an ░░░░░░░░ you couldn t take ░░░░░░░░ off for things like ░░░░░░░░ and drinking when the ░░░░░░░░ will not take a ░░░░░░░░ then I think it ░░░░░░░░ a very important tool ░░░░░░░░ you do that I ░░░░░░░░ we are basically expending ░░░░░░░░ lot of public health ░░░░░░░░ for something that will ░░░░░░░░ very little return.”