Published June 10, 2023
White House mandating face masks, social distancing for unvaccinated 'College Athlete Day' guests
Biden signed bill earlier this year ending COVID-19 national emergency
The White House is still requiring guests who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to wear face masks and practice social distancing, despite the federal government already terminating the national emergency declaration for the pandemic.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are inviting dozens of NCAA men's and women's national championship teams from Divisions I, II, and III to "College Athlete Day" to celebrate their victories at the White House on Monday.
Earlier this week, the White House Office of Legislative Affairs sent out an email invitation to members of Congress obtained by Fox News Digital requesting their attendance at the event. The email included additional logistical details as well as COVID protocols.
According to the White House, while lawmakers are not required to receive a COVID test in advance of this event, they will need to wear a mask and socially distance if they're unvaccinated.
"Masking Guidance: Fully vaccinated guests are not required to wear a mask on the White House grounds," the email states [bold font in original email]. "Guests who are not fully vaccinated must wear a mask at all times and maintain at least 6 feet distance from others while on the White House grounds."
The White House email comes as hospitals and other health care facilities increasingly discard their masking rules with COVID becoming a smaller presence for most Americans in daily life.
Meanwhile, experts have been calling into question the efficacy of face masks. A recent study published by the prestigious Cochrane Library, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health, dug into the findings of 78 randomized controlled trials to determine whether "physical interventions" — including face masks and hand-washing — lessened the spread of respiratory viruses.
The conclusion about masks undercuts the scientific basis for masking, according to the study's lead author.
"There is just no evidence that they make any difference. Full stop," Tom Jefferson, the study’s lead author, said in an interview. When asked specifically about fitted N95 masks in health care settings, Jefferson said: "It makes no difference – none of it."
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