As the number of Delta variant cases surge in the US, vaccines, masks, the attitudes to masks and vaccines remain polarized as ever. In a video that has gone viral across social media platforms, a woman can be seen doubling down on her mask-related beliefs. 

This TikTok video by a user called LiddyLidds shows the woman in question recounting a story. She said that she had just gotten back from her child’s annual physical examination. The doctor allegedly asked them if they were all vaccinated, and told them they could all take off their masks if they were.

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The woman then emulated an expression of shock and continued: “To which I said [scream] no!” She then claimed she showed her doctor an article by MLive and headlined ‘81 Michigan counties should mask up regardless of vaccine status, per CDC’.

She said that they lived in one of those 81 counties. 

As per the report, published on August 23, federal health officials recommended wearing a mask indoors, whether one is vaccinated against Covid-19 or not, when community transmission reaches a “high” or “substantial” level, as determined by case and positive test rates. And In Michigan, 81 out of 83 counties fell under that guidance as of August 23. Only Roscommon and Missaukee counties fell below the transmission threshold to recommend indoor masking for everyone.

After that, the woman said that her doctor said that she felt the pandemic was mostly over. “In completely unrelated news,” she said at the end of the video, “my family is now looking for a new daily doctor.” This TikTok has received a variety of reactions. But most seemed to be critical of the woman. 

“She knows more than an actual Doctor because of an article she read,” tweeted one person. “So you disagree with your doctor and exercise your right to choose a new one. I thought this was anti science? Or is it only anti science if your doctor disagrees with the media,” said another tweet. 

One person tweeted, “As you can see in this video doctors aren’t so worried about the flu like these television news thumpers that sit at home watching fear porn all day while stuffing their faces with unhealthy junk food.” Another person said, “The Karen's of the world should just get together and cult up for real already. I'm tired of the msm melting these dumb asses brains even more than they already are.”

What does the CDC say about masking up after being fully vaccinated?

As per the CDC, people are considered fully vaccinated either two weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.

The CDC says that while in general, one does not need to wear a mask in outdoor settings if they are fully vaccinated, in areas with high numbers of Covid-19 cases, “consider wearing a mask in crowded outdoor settings and for activities with close contact with others who are not fully vaccinated.”

It also says, “If you are fully vaccinated, to maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission.”