The Centers for Disease Control’s change on masking requirements caught a lot of politicians off guard, and irritated a number of folks who’ve gotten used to the idea of wearing masks everywhere, all the time, regardless of what science (or the CDC) says.

The reluctance, or outright hostility, to surrender control over public actions does have an upside: it reveals who is on the side of science (the coronavirus vaccines are doing their jobs, very, very well) and who isn’t. As Reason’s Robby Soave writes:

…officials who mandated masks on the grounds that the experts had deemed this necessary should not get away with keeping such mandates in place now that the experts have turned against them. Case in point: Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she would seek additional clarification from the CDC before making any changes—and in the meantime, she encouraged everyone to keep wearing masks.

“People need to continue to follow the public health guidance that has gotten us this far, and masks are a big and important part of that,” Lightfoot said. Other Democratic officials around the country, from New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, have echoed that sentiment. But the public health guidance says that masks are important for people who aren’t vaccinated. It’s not confusing. Wear a mask until you’re fully vaccinated, and then don’t.

The confusion, if that’s really what’s happening, can also be traced back to the CDC, which was overly cautious about masks, vaccinations, and more for a long time, then abruptly switched gears.

Regardless of the root cause, the vaccines are working. Time for the political class to catch up to the science and bring an end to the emergency health measures.