Conservatives Slam Joe Biden's Alleged Overuse of Masks After CDC Unveils Guidelines

Conservatives accused President Joe Biden of overusing masks on Tuesday after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidelines relaxing mask use outdoors for Americans who have been fully vaccinated.

The CDC's latest "interim public health recommendations" details a variety of activities that fully vaccinated people can return to safely. It states that "fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask outdoors, except in certain crowded settings and venues" and "fully vaccinated people can visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing."

In a Biden administration press briefing, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said, "Today is another day we can take a step back to the normalcy of before. Over the past year, we have spent a lot of time telling Americans what they cannot do, what they should not do. Today, I'm going to tell you some of the things you can do if you are fully vaccinated."

The new guidelines say fully vaccinated individuals can safety forego masks if they're walking, running, hiking or biking outdoors alone or with people from their household; attending outdoor gatherings with a small group of fully vaccinated individuals; attending outdoor gatherings with a small group of fully vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals; and dining in restaurants outdoors.

Throughout the pandemic, conservatives have pushed back against strict coronavirus mitigation measures, including mask use and lockdowns, which they claim breach people's freedoms.

A slew of conservatives took to social media after the CDC unveiled its new guidelines to criticize Biden's continued use of masks, with some pointing to the fact that he has been fully vaccinated. Democrats have staunchly defended Biden's mask use as responsible behavior and setting a good example to those who haven't been fully vaccinated.

"Then why is the president, who is vaccinated, wearing a mask on Zoom calls?" tweeted political commentator Ben Shapiro. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas shared Shapiro's remarks.

Conservative author Marc Thiessen asked, "Why did Biden walk to the podium outdoors wearing a mask to announce that we no longer have to wear masks outdoors?"

Fox News co-anchor Sandra Smith laughed at Biden live on air for walking to the podium outdoors while wearing a mask to announce the CDC guidelines. "He walked from the White House alone wearing a mask to the podium, and of course, it's something we noticed right away and when you look at your social media, it's what everyone's talking about," she said.

Jenna Ellis, an attorney for former President Donald Trump's 2020 campaign, called Biden a moron.

"MORON ALERT: Biden Wears Mask Outside Alone, Breaking New CDC Guidance While Announcing The New Guidance," Ellis tweeted.

Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment. This story will be updated with any response.