Stephen Colbert - Guest CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky

[Rhiannon12866]

"A Little Bit Less Severe" - Dr. Rochelle Walensky On The Latest Data About The Omicron Variant

The Director of the CDC, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, makes a special visit to the show for this three-part interview with Stephen, which kicks off with a look at the latest scientific findings about the Omicron variant. Stick around for two more fascinating segments with Dr. Walensky.




Dr. Walensky Responds To Dr. Fauci About Testing Out Of Covid Isolation

In the second part of her interview, Dr. Walensky explains the science behind the CDC's updated guidance for isolating after a Covid-19 infection, and responds to a recent comment by Dr. Anthony Fauci who suggested Americans may soon be able to test out of isolation after 5 days.




"We Have To Do More" To Make Tests Widely Available - CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky

In the third part of her conversation with Stephen Colbert, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky acknowledges that rapid antigen tests should be much more widely available at this point in the pandemic, and addresses her efforts to restore the public's trust in the CDC after it became politicized under the former administration.

[femmedem]

1. 2nd clip, she says not to visit Grandma, even masked, shortly after the 5-day isolation period.

She stands by the CDC's new guidelines about isolating completely for five days and then wearing a mask for another five, so long as you're feeling ok. But then she says that although by day five 80% to 90% of the transmissibility is gone, don't visit vulnerable people, even masked, during days five through ten.

That bothers me, because even if none of the people you see during days five through ten are vulnerable, they could catch it from you and then transmit it to someone who is vulnerable.

But I'm glad that in this clip, she clarifies that a person is still potentially contagious, just not as contagious, after those first five days.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. Sounds like she's trying to justify the decision, but I think the truth is that they just don't

Really know. My Dad's cousin died from Covid back in June, the only peron I've known (so far) eve though she was fully vaccinated. And the family still can't understand how she got it. She did see her grown kids for her birthday, but they're all fine.

So I think you're right, what she said about the transmissibility is disturbing. How do you determine who is vulnerable - or the people they're then in contact with, and so on. Sounds to me like they're trying to keep the country from shutting down at the expense of keeping everyone safe.