CDC Removes Mask Mandate For Vaccinated Individuals
Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidance that said people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can safely resume life without any restrictions in most cases.
Specifically, the guidance allows people who are fully vaccinated to refrain from wearing masks indoors or outside once they are two weeks past their second vaccine dose. Individuals who are vaccinated also do not need to socially distance.
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told reporters, “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 new guidelines do not apply to travel settings, health care settings, correctional facilities, or homeless shelters, and people will need to follow local business and workplace guidance, so masks may continue to be required in private businesses.