Ruinous End to COVID Travel Masking: CDC's powers to protect the public health

https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/second-opinions/98309

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We're Toying With a Ruinous End to COVID Travel Masking — CDC's powers to protect the public during health emergencies hangs in the balance

by Lawrence O. Gostin, JD
April 20, 2022 Last Updated April 21, 2022

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Power before health…
JD…
At least he is upfront with his subconscious

Reads as a biased political piece masquerading as a medical opinion piece…

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As a pure legal matter, this should be an easy case to decide. The Public Health Service Act (42 USC § 264) authorizes the HHS Secretary "to prevent the entry and spread of communicable diseases from foreign countries into the United States and between states." That broad power includes "inspection, fumigation, disinfection, sanitation, pest extermination, ... and other measures, as in his judgment may be necessary."

Judge Mizelle read that statute so narrowly that it limits CDC to basic sanitation, which is virtually useless against SARS-CoV-2. But it's vital that CDC should have the powers it deems necessary to protect the public's health. If the 11th Circuit, and ultimately the Supreme Court, decides to curb CDC's powers, it means that when the next dangerous variant hits, say this winter, the CDC won't be able to require masking or literally any other effective measure. Do we really want to curb CDC's powers so that it has to fight health emergencies with its hands tied behind its back?

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Virtually useless like other things???

The way forward is improving individual health and wellness, not bureaucratic power grabs…