Dr. Birx, who helped lead Trump White House in COVID response, says new mask mandates not needed yet

Dr. Deborah Birx, who as a Trump administration official helped lead the country’s early response to the COVID-19 pandemic, says masks do not need to be mandated now.

"We don't need to mandate," Birx, who was a White House COVID response coordinator, told Newsmax on Saturday.

Birx was responding to an increasing number of hospitals and businesses requiring masks amid an increase in COVID-19 hospital admissions across the U.S.

"We need to actually empower people with the information that they need for themselves and their families because every family is different," Birx also said. "And by the way, outside is safe, and playgrounds are safe.”

Hospitals in upstate New York announced last month that masks, worn to prevent the spread of the virus, will be mandatory for staff, patients and visitors. 

Among them are United Health Services, in Binghamton; Auburn Community Hospital, in Auburn; University Hospital, in Syracuse; and Samaritan Health facilities, in Watertown, according to the Epoch Times.

In addition, mask requirements were recently implemented at Hollywood studio Lionsgate in Santa Monica, California. 

Last month, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, showed COVID hospitalizations have increased nationwide. However,  the increase remains low compared to pandemic levels, the news outlet also reports.