Here & Now

The Delta Variant and Masking

Frederica Freyberg:

Just when you thought you could go without a mask, the CDC this week recommended that people should wear them once again indoors, where COVID-19 cases have spiked to substantial or high levels. That includes 35 counties so far in Wisconsin shown on this map in yellow and red. Dane County and the city of Milwaukee this week recommended everyone wear a mask inside regardless of vaccination status. To get the statewide picture, we turn to deputy secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Julie Willems Van Dijk, and thanks very much for being here.

Julie Willems Van Dijk:

You’re welcome.

Frederica Freyberg:

So is the Wisconsin Department of Health following the CDC guidance and recommending people wear masks indoors at this time?

Julie Willems Van Dijk:

Yes. We are again very consistent with CDC. We’ve seen an incredible rise in cases due to the Delta variant. And there’s also early emerging evidence that people who have been vaccinated that are infected with Delta, because some will be, may be able to transmit the virus. And previously we didn’t think that was true. And that’s the real rationale behind this recommendation for masks where there’s high transmission when we’re in indoor settings together.

Frederica Freyberg:

And so, again, who should wear them? Everyone, regardless of vaccination status?

Julie Willems Van Dijk:

That is absolutely true. When you are in a community with higher substantial transmission, and even if you want to be extra safe in communities with moderate transmission. We have nowhere in Wisconsin with low transmission right now. We recommend that everybody, whether you’re vaccinated or not, when you are inside with people outside of your household, wear a mask.

Frederica Freyberg:

And what is your recommendation around k-12 schools when school starts?

Julie Willems Van Dijk:

So CDC and DHS are also recommending that all teachers, staff, visitors and students in K-12 schools wear masks, again, when they’re inside. When we’re outside, we know there isn’t very high disease transmission. This is especially important in schools because we have such a mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated people. Children under the age of 12 cannot yet get vaccinated, so it’s a really important layer of protection so that our children can go back to school safely this fall.

Frederica Freyberg:

Some people continue to question this, including our own Senator Ron Johnson who asked publicly this week, “Do masks even work? Do they do more harm than good, particularly to children who have a low risk of serious disease or death from COVID?” So do they work? Do they cause more harm than good?

Julie Willems Van Dijk:

They absolutely work. The science shows that this significantly reduces transmission of respiratory virus and the droplets that carry the virus. And they work especially well when everybody is wearing them. So, as we’ve said before, my mask protects you, your mask protects me. The other thing that I’ve heard from many, many parents and I’ve observed in children in my own family is children don’t have nearly as big a problem with wearing a mask as we do. As long as they get to pick which character or which print is on their mask, they actually seem to do quite fine with wearing masks.

Frederica Freyberg:

What are your concerns about this Delta variant and our jump in cases and how that might progress?

Julie Willems Van Dijk:

Delta variant is very concerning. This is an extremely infectious variant of COVID-19. And let’s be clear. The garden variety of COVID-19 was infectious enough. CDC is saying today that as infectious as chicken pox. For those of you who remember Chicken Pox, you know if one kid in your family got it, everybody got it. That’s how infectious Delta variant is. The other thing that’s very concerning about this variant is it mutated from other variants. And so if we do not get a handle on this through higher vaccination, which is our most important strategy right now, what will the next variant look like and could it be even worse than this one.

Frederica Freyberg:

How are we doing on the vaccine front?

Julie Willems Van Dijk:

So as of today, we have almost 52% of our total population of our state has received their first dose and almost — well, 49.3% have completed their vaccine series. And we all know we have stalled out. We were seeing those percentage points jump by a percentage or two a day in March and April, when people were clamoring for vaccine. They’re creeping up now. But we have seen a little bit of a bump since this news of Delta variant came out and I think some of the folks who have been waiting and wondering are volunteering and getting vaccine now. And we really need to move that 52% up to 70% or 80% in order to get a true community immunity to stop the spread of this.

Frederica Freyberg:

All right. Well, we will watch that. Julie Willems Van Dijk, thank you for joining us.

Julie Willems Van Dijk:

Thank you.