CDC Director ‘Enthusiastic’ About Updating Guidance After Criticism of Slow Lifting of Mask Restrictions Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said in interviews Wednesday that she looks forward to updating the agency’s guidance on COVID-19-related public health measures following criticism that the CDC was moving too slowly to recommend further easing of masking requirements for vaccinated people in outdoor settings. The CDC updated its guidelines on April 27, recommending lifting some restrictions for fully vaccinated individuals, although urging such people to wear a mask outdoors when in crowded settings. Walensky said at an April 27 briefing at the White House that “less than 10 percent of documented transmission, in many studies, have occurred outdoors,” a statement that could be seen as both true and misleading.