MSNBC, CNN guests cast doubt on relaxed CDC mask guidance, join those suggesting vaccine passport requirements

Medical experts on liberal networks CNN and MSNBC reacted to the CDC's Thursday relaxing of mask wearing guidance by casting doubt on the willingness of those who remain unvaccinated to follow the updated guidelines.

Drs. Leana Wen and Michael Osterholm gave their take on the relaxed guidance, with both joining others in suggesting the use of vaccine passports as proof of vaccination. 

Wen, a former Baltimore health commissioner and president of Planned Parenthood, appeared on CNN to express her disappointment in the process of relaxing the guidelines, citing what she saw as the need for the change to be tied with proof of vaccination. 

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"Part of what they did today was great, saying these vaccines are wonderful, once you get the vaccine you can choose your own adventure, you can go out and take off your mask and do all these things. I think that's exactly the right message," Wen said. "The only problem is that also needed to be tied to proof of vaccination, because what I really worry about is, essentially, the CDC today eliminated mask mandates and social distancing. They're saying it's all an honor code from now on."

She went on to claim the CDC's move was actually going to be a disincentive, saying a lot of the people who never wanted to be vaccinated or wear masks can now just claim they are vaccinated without having to show any proof. She argued people who are more vulnerable or who are also unvaccinated will be more at risk, and that the overall decision actually takes the country further away from herd immunity. 

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Osterholm, an infectious disease expert who regularly appears on various programs to discuss the pandemic, joined MSNBC on Friday and raised similar questions to Wen. 

He expressed that the CDC's relaxed guidelines were "incredibly good news," and that the decision was based on good science, but argued it would be a challenge to ensure people follow the guidelines, before also suggesting the implementation of "immune passports."

"The next question is going to be how are we going to know if people are vaccinated? If you’re sitting close to someone at a restaurant or next to them in a theater, how are you going to know that they’re not just kind of fibbing a little bit here about whether they’re vaccinated or not?" he said. 

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"And I think that’s going to be the really next big question is, do we do these immune passports?" he continued. "You know, I gave up my eyeballs and my fingerprints to Clear so I could get on and off an airplane sooner. Will people do that so that you can feel confident that the person you’re sitting next to without a mask is, in fact, vaccinated?"

Other medical experts who regularly appear on cable news took to social media with differing views, arguing that the country might actually see an increase in vaccinations.

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Calls from the left for requirements to force people to carry proof of vaccination have been ongoing, despite the Biden administration announcing in April that "vaccine passports" would not be mandated.