Dr Anthony Fauci said Thursday children will still have to wear masks - hours after the CDC finally said fully vaccinated Americans can ditch the coverings indoors. In his first interview since the mask guidance update Fauci told CNN he 'wouldn't go so far as to say [the pandemic] is essentially over', adding: 'I think this is a very important step in the direction of trying to get back to some degree of normality. 'So, I wouldn't want to declare victory prematurely, but I'm saying this is clearly a step in the direction that we want to go,' he added.