Head of CDC defends eased mask guidance; British health chief confident vaccines are effective against India variant: Live COVID-19 updates John Bacon and Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY No more masks for those vaccinated: Here's how the new CDC guidelines affect you Replay Video UP NEXT The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday defended the latest easing of mask mandates and said her agency is working on new guidance for the school year that will begin in three months in some districts. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, in a series of interviews with Sunday morning news shows, said “evolving science” drove the decision to update the government's guidance to allow those fully vaccinated for COVID-19 to shed their masks in most circumstances. Walensky denied that the decision was politically driven as Americans grow weary of wearing masks.