McCaul: 'Americans shouldn’t have to mask up and question why they got the vaccine'

U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Houston) criticized the updated Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in a tweet July 27.

The CDC announced earlier this week that it strongly advises vaccinated people to wear masks in indoor settings in areas of high transmission. With the change in guidelines brought about by an increase in COVID cases caused by the highly contagious delta variant, McCaul took to Twitter to share his frustration. 

"Old @CDCgov Guidelines: Trust the science. New @CDCgov Guidelines: Doubt the vaccine. Americans shouldn’t have to mask up and question why they got the vaccine in the first place. This is a post-pandemic recovery, not a pre-vaccine turnaround," McCaul said in his tweet. 

The CDC's controversial change in guidelines has many states scrambling to accommodate for both rising case numbers in addition to pandemic fatigue. While the link between case numbers increasing and vaccine numbers becoming stagnant is the main reason for the guideline change, Texas is still keeping vaccination voluntary. 

“Now is the time for personal responsibility. Every Texan has the right to choose whether they will wear a mask, or have their children wear masks," Gov. Greg Abbott's press secretary, Renae Eze, said in an email to the Texas Tribune. 

As of July 29, over 5,600 people statewide are hospitalized due to new COVID infections, which has grown from 1,500 only two weeks ago. According to the CDC's website, the new mask guidelines stand to limit the spread of the delta variant but still continue to participate in pre-pandemic activities. 

With the new school year around the corner, many Texas educators are looking to find a balance between safety and normalcy. 

“Educators are eager to return to the classroom, but the pandemic is still dangerous,” Ovidia Molina, president of the Texas State Teachers Association, said in a statement July 27.

The CDC also recommends complete indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status.