Dr. Leana Wen tells CNN that 'cloth masks are little more than facial decoration'

Back in mid-November, outgoing New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio laid out the requirements to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Times Square: those planning to attend “must bring proof of full vaccination and a valid photo ID,” he announced. Doesn’t he know how difficult it is for some people to get a photo ID?

On CNN Monday, medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen said that despite the Omicron variant, she didn’t think De Blasio should cancel the celebration, which is a “high-value” activity. She also advised those going to wear a real mask, not one of those cloth ones that “are little more than facial decoration.”

I do not think that Mayor De Blasio should cancel NYC’s New Year celebration. This is outdoors & requires vaccination. Yes, omicron is surging, but we need to continue activities that are of high-value while adding precautions that reduce risk. @BilldeBlasio @VictorBlackwell pic.twitter.com/tyOfQ5fT7g
— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) December 20, 2021

Whoops pic.twitter.com/rJ9fV4hlJ4
— Eli Klein (@TheEliKlein) December 21, 2021

You said something else to didn’t you? What was it?🤔 Oh, I know, you said “CLOTH MASKS ARE LITTLE MORE THAN FACIAL DECORATION”. So why won’t you tell schools to take them off of our kids????
— Adriana Stubbs (@adriana_s1970) December 20, 2021

Glad to see new talking points have gone out re: cloth masks.
— Azazello1313 (@Azazello1313) December 21, 2021

Ok then my 3 and 5 year old won’t be wearing those facial decorations to school. Thanks!
— Gregg Pitts (@greggpitts) December 20, 2021

"Cloth masks are little more then facial decoration"
We have been forcing our kids as young as TWO YEARS OLD to wear these for over 1.5 YEARS.
Who is going to answer for this human rights violation on our children? @GovKathyHochul @NYCMayor https://t.co/zvd1GSQ4l3
— Are School Masks Gone Yet? #MaskLikeAKid (@Fights_For_Kids) December 20, 2021

This is going to sound calloused, so I apologize.
But YOU – the person making the kids wear them – are the only person to answer for this “violation.”
I have four kids: 5, 3, 2, and 6mo. None of them have ever worn a mask, nor will they.
You did this. You keep doing this.
— Patrick Hays (@patrickhays2) December 20, 2021

She said the quiet part out loud. Wow. UNMASK OUR CHILDREN!! 📢📢
— NJ Mama Bear 🐻 (@NJ_Mama_Bear) December 21, 2021

Just watch! Tomorrow she’ll claim her words are being taken out of context and she never said; "Cloth masks are little more then facial decoration" 💯
— Rich Anthony (@RichAnthony76) December 21, 2021

Good job @DrLeanaWen – now you can delete your account. pic.twitter.com/JEJRQJ3XZn
— Dan Goldwasser (@dgoldwas) December 21, 2021

When cloth masks lose Leana Wen..
— Mike Weiss (@mikeweiss17) December 21, 2021

Baby steps with this lady, shocked she didn’t say lock people inside and weld the door shut
— Marcus (@Big_Time_Atl) December 21, 2021

Quiet part out loud. After 2 years.
— mad maximum (@ThreadsYang) December 21, 2021

N95 mandate incoming lol
— Cruzer (@cruz0210) December 21, 2021

State media all pivoting today. 🤔
— Gigi NYC (@OnlyInNY111) December 21, 2021

pic.twitter.com/Zl4K82E7I8
— Sarah Hale Smith 🎄 (@Hale_Storm) December 21, 2021

🤡🤡🤡 pic.twitter.com/Z13eRRLIG0
— Josh Lanier (@JoshuaKLanier) December 21, 2021

Someone got fired today.
— Not Ashley (@ash_mo87) December 21, 2021

I look forward to her Twitter ban over this one
— Rob Alan (@oforsuredude) December 21, 2021

The rest of us would get a time-out for tweeting that.

Related:

Jen Psaki says Biden will soon clarify something about Covid-19 (Caution: One-eighty in progress!) https://t.co/MOoWXgMhVP
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) December 20, 2021