CNN medical analyst who said the unvaccinated should not be able to travel changes her tune, emphasizes benefits of natural immunity



A CNN medical analyst who promoted lockdowns and vaccination requirements and at one stage claimed "we can't trust the unvaccinated" has taken to the pages of the Washington Post to confirm claims that were up until recently derided as misinformation.

The so-called health expert now admits that natural immunity is optimal and that those who are vaccinated but had not previously caught COVID-19 are more susceptible to infection.

While some may be happy to see these long-censored claims printed in the Washington Post, others have suggested that what is missing from these public confirmations is an apology.

What are the details?

Leana Wen is an emergency doctor and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. She was previously president of Planned Parenthood and has also served as a medical analyst on CNN.

On Dec. 9, Wen wrote an op-ed in the Post calling for an end to the vaccine mandate for members of the military.

Wen also suggested that "businesses, universities, schools and other entities that were once justified in implementing these requirements should consider removing them, too."

The CNN analyst appeared to defend stances she had taken earlier in the pandemic, claiming that "when the coronavirus vaccines were first made available, there was a compelling case for requiring them."

However, Wen noted that things and standards changed when the Omicron variant turned up.

Wen said that research has shown that vaccines' "effectiveness in reducing infection against the omicron subvariants is low and not lasting."

She cited a recent study in "Nature Communications," which found that "effectiveness against infection was about 50 percent in the first three months after vaccination but declined to around 10 percent or below thereafter."

In a study published in the "New England Journal of Medicine," Wen noted researchers found "that there was no difference in infection rates between people who received two doses of the vaccine six months earlier and those who remained unvaccinated."

Wen further noted in her piece, which would likely have been censored online earlier this year, that the new bivalent booster targeting Omicron is not particularly effective against infection.

Potentially running afoul of the mRNA vaccines' most outspoken champions, like Dr. Anthony Fauci, Wen claimed that public health officials must be up front that the coronavirus vaccine is not equivalent to far more effective real vaccines, such as those used to treat polio or measles.

"Young, healthy people, most of whom already had covid, are very unlikely to become severely ill, and there is little, if any, lasting difference between the vaccinated and unvaccinated people’s likelihood of infecting others," wrote Wen.

In another shibboleth-violating op-ed published Dec. 18, Wen stated, "Abundant research shows natural immunity conveys excellent protection against covid. One Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that vaccinated people who never had covid were at least three times as likely to be infected as unvaccinated people with prior infection."

She also cited a Lancet study that found "that those who were vaccinated but never had covid were four times as likely to have severe illness resulting in hospitalization or death compared to the unvaccinated who recovered from it."

The piece points out that an Israeli study published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" compared a group of vaccinated people who had never had COVID-19 and a group of people who had not been vaccinated but had been previously infected with COVID-19.

It turns out that the first group had "twice the number of infections as the second" just two months after their shots, and after six months, the "first group's infection rate was nearly three times higher than the second's."

Although Wen had previously supported vaccinating children, she cited CDC analysis indicating that over 90% of adolescents have contracted the virus, meaning they likely benefit from the natural immunity touted earlier in the piece.

After questioning the utility and good of vaccine mandates, Wen highlighted the dangers they pose — which were previously unacknowledgeable on social media.

Wen referenced two sets of statistics, one from the CDC and the second from a Canadian database; the first showing that there are 39 myocarditis cases per million second doses among males 18 to 24 and the second showing that there are 22 cases for every 100,000 doses for men ages 18 to 29.

About-face and backlash

Wen has ostensibly come a long way in her thinking in a short period of time.

In July 2021, Wen spoke to Democracy Now! bemoaning vaccine hesitancy and claiming that "we know that we can't trust the unvaccinated."

When the Delta variant turned up, Wen told CNN that "it needs to be hard for people to remain unvaccinated."

\u201cCNN medical contributor Leana Wen says that life needs to be "hard" for unvaccinated Americans!\n\nWhat a tyrannical monster! \n\n\u201d
— Luke Rudkowski (@Luke Rudkowski) 1626032537

The health policy professor suggested to CNN's Chris Cuomo that societal reopening must be tied to vaccination status.

She said, "We need to start looking at the choice to remain unvaccinated the same as we look at driving while intoxicated. ... You have the option to not get vaccinated if you want, but then you can't go out in public."

Wen also stressed that mobility rights and other human liberties should be tied to vaccination status.

"There are privileges associated with being an American. That if you wish to have these privileges, you need to get vaccinated. Travel, and having the right to travel in our state, it’s not a constitutional right as far as I know to board a plane," she told CNN on another occasion.

\u201c.@DrLeanaWen: \u201cThere are privileges associated with being an American. That if you wish to have these privileges, you need to get vaccinated. Travel, and having the right to travel in our state, it\u2019s not a constitutional right as far as I know to board a plane."\u201d
— Tom Elliott (@Tom Elliott) 1631292960

In response to Wen's recent op-eds, New York art dealer Eli Klein expressed his surprise that the "Washington Post finally published the truth about natural immunity."

\u201cWow, the Washington Post finally published the truth about natural immunity in a piece by Leana Wen. \n\n\u201c\u2026vaccinated people who never had covid were at least three times as likely to be infected as unvaccinated people with prior infection.\u201d\u201d
— Eli Klein (@Eli Klein) 1671544247

Joel Petlin, superintendent of the Kiryas Joel School District, tweeted, "The media coverage of COVID-19 research on natural immunity has evolved from being banned on Twitter to being embraced by the same *experts* who applauded the original bans. The only thing missing is the apologies and the commitment to not repeat the outrageous past mistakes."

Revolver News suggested that Wen's admissions are "too little too late. Dr. Wen and her ilk conspired with the FBI and Big Tech to suppress these very facts that we needed to make sound decisions about how to respond to a novel pathogen. Their totalitarian streak cost us our freedom of movement, freedom of association, and our bodily autonomy."

CNN medical expert gets abruptly fact-checked after claiming 'the science has changed' on mask mandates: 'The polls changed'



CNN medical expert and former Planned Parenthood president Dr. Leana Wen incited mockery on social media after she claimed Monday that mask mandates are no longer necessary because "the science has changed."

Wen's comments came after New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) and Delaware Gov. John Carney (D) announced that mask mandates for schools in each state would soon end.

What did Wen say?

Speaking on CNN, Wen explained that she agreed with New Jersey's and Delaware's decisions because, in part, "the science has changed."

"There was, and is, a time and place for pandemic restrictions. But when they were put in, it was always with the understanding that they would be removed as soon as we can," Wen said. "And, in this case, circumstances have changed — case counts are declining. Also, the science has changed."

Wen, however, did not address what "science" has changed, or what "science" once showed that mask mandates in schools were absolutely necessary.

"The science has changed." @DrLeanaWen\u00a0explains why she supports lifting some pandemic restrictions and thinks the decision to wear a mask should shift from a government mandate to an individual choice.pic.twitter.com/vaiybBBF2b
— Anderson Cooper 360\u00b0 (@Anderson Cooper 360\u00b0) 1644284640

Perhaps most ironic about Wen's interview is that she said the conversation about face masks must now shift from government mandates to "individual responsibility."

"In this case, I'm not saying — I don’t think anyone, really, is saying — that no one should ever wear masks. But rather that the responsibility should shift from a government mandate imposed from the state or the local district of the school ... it should shift to an individual responsibility by the family, who can still decide that their child can wear a mask if needed."

The admission comes just weeks after Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) empowered parents to do exactly what Wen suggested by signing an executive order moving the power to determine masking from school officials to individual parents.

Democrats grumbled over Youngkin's order, and White House press secretary Jen Psaki as recently as Monday complained about it — all while praising Murphy's decision.

What was the reaction to Wen?

Wen's comments triggered a tsunami of reaction online, the consensus of which went something like this: "science" has not changed — only Democrats' political standing has changed.

  • "The polling numbers have changed. The political landscape has changed.That's why you're promoting a different propaganda message now. That's all.If the science itself had changed, we'd see new peer-reviewed studies that indicate the change," psychology professor Geoffrey Miller said.
  • "As others noted, there is nothing in The Science™ that changed to justify Dem politicians suddenly ending mask mandates. All that changed is the political fear they have.Conflating 'The Science' with politics like this is a key reason many lost trust in public health experts," Glenn Greenwald observed.
  • "Has anything fundamentally changed in the last six months, except for Democrats finally, belatedly realizing that militant masking is a political loser? The science didn’t change, the politics changed," Reason editor Robby Soave said.
  • "The science didn’t change, the polls changed," entrepreneur David Sacks reacted.
  • "'The science' is the method, not the data. 'The science has changed' is something you say when you’re unscientific but want to sound to lay people like you are," Noam Blum pointed out.
  • "The ‘science’ hasn’t changed. The wind has… And they see which way it’s blowing," actor Rob Schneider said.
  • "Weird. 'I trust the science' has been the go-to moral response to questioning CDC policy. Now we’re told the science can change. Are we still not allowed to question CDC policy?" commentator Becket Adams questioned.
  • "No, the science didn't change. Politics and agendas did. Corona restrictions like lockdowns, mask mandates, and antisocial distancing are cut from the cloth of pseudoscience. It's what happens when you allow hypochondriacs to drive public policy," another person pointed out.
  • "What happened to Leana’s original ‘The science is settled’ argument? History will not be kind to people like her," one person said.
  • "This is gaslighting. She is brazenly lying, her statements flying in the face of all evidence, most of which has been there for more than 2 years. This is what happens when sociopaths get caught--they double down on their lies. They never stop lying," author Tucker Max observed.

Right on cue, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said Tuesday that Democrats need to begin communicating "a clear off-ramp" on the pandemic.

CNN medical expert now says we can relax mandates — and her reasoning is MADDENING



According to CNN’s medical expert Dr. Leana Wen, we can all relax a bit when it comes to draconian COVID restrictions because, you know, "the science has changed."

CNN's Anderson Cooper shared a video clip on Twitter Monday night, in which Wen argued in favor of lifting some pandemic restrictions and shifting the decision to wear masks from government mandates to individual choice.

"The science has changed." @DrLeanaWen\u00a0explains why she supports lifting some pandemic restrictions and thinks the decision to wear a mask should shift from a government mandate to an individual choice.pic.twitter.com/vaiybBBF2b
— Anderson Cooper 360\u00b0 (@Anderson Cooper 360\u00b0) 1644284640

"Circumstances have changed. Case counts are declining. Also, the science has changed," Wen said.

Wait, what happened to "don't question the science"? Will Wen or CNN get fact-checked by the social media overlords? And isn't it interesting that, as Democrats quake in the path of oncoming midterm elections, the narrative has conveniently shifted — and all on the same day?

Check it out:


Democrats like @GavinNewsom are leading the way in returning America safely back to normal again.https://twitter.com/gavinnewsom/status/1490827066454863873\u00a0\u2026
— Ted Lieu (@Ted Lieu) 1644283636


Democrat New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy can't cite any data proving anti-science school mask mandates actually workpic.twitter.com/3x6cjpDihX
— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1644270949

This is truly maddening. Isn't this what the "science deniers," "misinformation spreaders," and "fringe scientists" (ahem, Joe Rogan's podcast) have been smeared, discredited, and canceled for saying all along?

As always, Twitter can be counted on to weigh in:

Shameless.. That's 100% the problem with demanding unquestioned adherence to "The Science" as the ultimate arbiter of policymaking, only to turn around and say "oops, well, tHe ScIeNcE has changed"
— Allan (@Allan) 1644289511


The polling numbers have changed. The political landscape has changed.\n\nThat's why you're promoting a different propaganda message now. That's all.\n\nIf the science itself had changed, we'd see new peer-reviewed studies that indicate the change.
— Geoffrey Miller (@Geoffrey Miller) 1644326033


Wasn't @DrLeanaWen the one screaming that Unvaccinated must be shunned from society?
— Freedonomics77\ud83d\ude80\u26a1#21e800 (@Freedonomics77\ud83d\ude80\u26a1#21e800) 1644294170


New daily COVID deaths in Cali is the worst it has been since last March, yet now the masks are coming off?pic.twitter.com/JdD7ACIY21
— Yossi Gestetner (@Yossi Gestetner) 1644290818


Well that answers my question from 24 hours ago\u2026 #brainwashedhttps://twitter.com/fivetimesaugust/status/1490351244686381060\u00a0\u2026
— Five Times August (@Five Times August) 1644291948

CNN medical analysts say life 'needs to be hard' for Americans who don't get the vaccine, call for mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations



CNN medical analysts are taking a hardline approach to COVID-19 vaccinations. The cable news contributors are calling for mandatory coronavirus vaccinations, and say that life "needs to be hard" for Americans who don't get the COVID-19 vaccine.

"What really need to do at this point is to make vaccination the easy choice. It needs to be hard for people to remain unvaccinated," Leana Wen said during a Saturday appearance on CNN. "Right now, it's kind of the opposite. It's easy if you're unvaccinated, you can do everything you want to do anyway."

Wen, the former president of Planned Parenthood, said unvaccinated Americans should be subjected to more stringent restrictions.

"But at some point these mandates, by workplaces, by schools, I think it will be important to say, 'Hey, you can opt out, but if you want to opt out, you have to sign these forms, you have to get twice weekly testing,'" Wen said. "Basically, we need to make getting vaccinated the easy choice."

Last week, Wen called for President Joe Biden "to get behind vaccine requirements."

Wen wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post calling for Biden to mandate vaccinations nationally, and scolded him for not using the White House Independence Day event to spread the message that getting vaccinated is not an "individual decision."

"The celebration could have been a chance to show that vaccination isn't just an individual decision, but one that affects the health of others — including those already vaccinated," Wen wrote, according to Fox News.

In April, Wen urged the Biden administration to "tie reopening policy to vaccination status." Wen said that government needs to tell Americans, "If you are vaccinated, you can do all these things. Here are all these freedoms that you have."

Also in April, Wen proclaimed that businesses should only be allowed to return back at full capacity if "they are checking for proof of vaccination."

Dr. Jonathan Reiner, another CNN medical analyst, petitioned for mandatory vaccinations — starting with private businesses.

"I do think it's time to start mandating vaccines," Reiner told CNN host Erin Burnett on Friday. "And I think that private industry and private organizations will do that."

"75 million adults have chosen to not get vaccinated and that choice has consequences," Reiner added. "Now, we can't force you to take a jab in the arm but there are many jobs perhaps that can prevent you from working if you decide not to get vaccinated."

"So I think we need to be more proactive and I think we will see industry take the lead on this," he concluded.

CNN's @DrLeanaWen: The Biden Admin should say to unvaccinated Americans: "Hey, you can opt out, but if you want to… https://t.co/uoDBb1oZ0H
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) 1625926960.0

Pro-mask social media melts down over updated CDC guidance, vows to wear masks indefinitely: 'Empowering anti-maskers and anti-vaxers'



Social media users have come out en masse against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's new guidance regarding masks, vowing to continue covering their faces indefinitely.

On Thursday, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky announced that fully vaccinated Americans can return to life without masks.

The directive was a full pivot from advice issued earlier in the month.

What are the details?

Many social media users responded to the announcement with concern, and in some cases, outright disdain.

Dr. Jason Johnson, MSNBC political contributor and radio host, wrote, "I will continue to wear a mask in closed buildings and restaurants thank you. [I]t's not an imposition on anyone else or doubting the CDC, it's just added caution."

I will continue to wear a mask in closed buildings and restaurants thank you 😷 👀 it's not an imposition on anyone e… https://t.co/l51SWZ2eti

— Dr. Jason Johnson (@DrJasonJohnson) 1620968294.0

Dr. Leana Wen, former head of Planned Parenthood and CNN analyst, added, "The CDC has gone from one extreme to another, from over-caution to throwing caution into the wind. By not requiring proof of vaccination, they are essentially eliminating mask mandates & physical distancing. This could DISINCENTIVIZE vaccination."

The CDC has gone from one extreme to another, from over-caution to throwing caution into the wind.By not requirin… https://t.co/0rE5c1bkOq

— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) 1620950461.0

In response to a Grabien tweet that read, "Mika [Brzezinski] & Joe [Scarborough] both say they'll keep wearing masks on planes despite being vaccinated," the MSNBC host added, "The CDC says it as well. Probably a smart thing to do now, and a good idea to keep a mask on hand in the future if that person in the seat next to you starts the hacking and sneezing routine in flu season."

The CDC says it as well. Probably a smart thing to do now, and a good idea to keep a mask on hand in the future if… https://t.co/i3f6DxqLSj

— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) 1620989516.0

Prominent gun control activist David Hogg added, "I feel the need to continue wearing my mask outside even though I'm fully vaccinated because the inconvenience of having to wear a mask is more than worth it to have people not think I'm a conservative[.]"

I feel the need to continue wearing my mask outside even though I’m fully vaccinated because the inconvenience of h… https://t.co/GuIZaYkBy1

— David Hogg (@davidhogg111) 1620997596.0

Author John Pavlovitz wrote, "I haven't had a cold in 15 months. I'll be wearing a mask."

I haven't had a cold in 15 months.I'll be wearing a mask.

— John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) 1620998331.0

Another user wrote, "I've been supportive and defensive for the most part of the CDC all along, but this statement is reckless. You're empowering anti-maskers and anti-vaxers. You know, the ones keeping the World from resuming some normalcy and who are continuing to kill others and/or make them ill."

Another added, "At my doctors office there is a sign on the door that says 'You will wear a mask past this door regardless of the current advisories. Put in on or turn around.' Yes!"

One user even said that the move was counterintuitive to protecting children.

"So, are we just actively not protecting the kids anymore?" the user asked in response to the CDC's announcement. "Vaccines were approved for 12+ just days ago. Getting all that done takes time and what about the rest of them? It may not hit kids as hard, but it still f***ing sucks and can have complications."

"I ain't taking my mask off till we are done," one user proclaimed. "I care about others."

Another user called the science into question, and wrote, "I'll continue to wear my mask because still a lot of people not vaccinated. How can I really know who is vaccinated? How long does the Pfizer vaccine last in body?"

"With so many refusing to vaccinate, how can I feel safe indoors when I see someone without a mask? How to keep our kids safe in these settings? Relying on honor system for my family's health? This is a mistake," one user insisted.

Finally, one user added, "[CDC] said if ur vaccinated and still wear your mask, you're sexy."

What else?

During Thursday's White House press briefing, Walensky said that Americans who have waited two weeks after receiving their second COVID-19 vaccine can return to mostly normal, pre-pandemic behaviors in the vast majority of settings.

In her remarks, Walensky said, “Anyone who is fully vaccinated can participate in indoor and outdoor activities, large or small, without wearing a mask or physical distancing. If you are fully vaccinated, you can start doing the things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic. We have all longed for this moment, when we can get back to some sense of normalcy."

The infectious diseases expert added, "Based on the continuing downward trajectory of cases, the scientific data on the performance of our vaccines, and our understanding of how the virus spreads, that moment has come for those who are fully vaccinated."

Unvaccinated Americans should continue masking and engaging in social distancing, Walensky advised.

“This is an exciting and powerful moment, it could only happen because of the work of so many who made sure we have the rapid administration of three safe and effective vaccines," she proclaimed.

The Associated Press reports that about 154 million Americans — more than 46% of the population — have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. More than 117 million Americans are fully vaccinated.