A federal judge's ruling striking down the mask mandate on public transportation has drawn a mixed reaction.
Baylor College of Medicine's Dr. Peter Hotez says the timing is terrible, with the dominant new BA.2 variant the most contagious yet.
Hotez, who also co-directs the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, said: "Don't do it now. Let's wait until we get on the
other side of that curve. It should just be a few more weeks and that could make a big difference and save lives."
He doesn't think BA.2 will be a major wave like the Omicron variant due to the high vaccination rate, as well as the number of recently infected people. Once the impact of the BA.2 variant drops, he said we may have two or three months where we don't have to wear masks. But if a new variant comes in we may have to re-implement mask mandates.
"As long as we can go with the ebb and flow, it's all about community transmission," Hotez said. "As long as we can understand that we can have a pretty good quality of life. But we're always thumbing our noses at the virus and the virus wins every time."
He said that it's still simply too easy to get COVID-19.
"I have been talking with people in the White House and the government and recommended look, masks do need to come off at some point, but don't do it now," Hotez said.
He believes that the decision by the Florida judge was merely a political stunt and that the Biden Administration may need to appeal the decision..
"I think it sets a bad precedent for a judge with no medical qualifications and no wisdom on that front to start counteracting the Centers for Disease Control," Hotez said. "I think that's a dangerous precedent."
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