CDC Now Recommends Fully Vaccinated People Wear Masks in High-Risk Indoor Settings
Due to the issues surrounding the highly contagious Delta variant, the CDC has now reversed its mask policy for fully vaccinated people. Recommending that fully vaccinated people once again wear masks indoors due to the rise in cases, the pandemic is proving to still be alive and well despite people becoming vaccinated.
The CDC or The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on July 27 that fully vaccinated people should begin to wear masks again in areas with high COVID-19 transmission rates. The announcement is a recommendation and not a requirement, but it may be good to follow the new guidelines with the rise in cases across the country.
The CDC recently released new data that shows the levels of community transmission across various states, with high levels in places like Florida and Texas and growing levels in northern states like Washington and New York. Stating that COVID-19 cases are rapidly rising in ” some parts of the country, especially in areas with low vaccination,” the overall community transmission rates across the country have changed from substantial to high.
While many federal health officials still say fully vaccinated people pose a small amount of transmission, some could have high virus levels. CDC Director Dr.Rochelle Walensky told CNBC that “Today, we have new science related to the delta variant that requires us to update the guidance regarding what you can do when you are fully vaccinated.” CNBC also reported that “updated guidance comes ahead of the fall season” as many plan to return to work and kids go back to school.
The CDC also stated that students in grades K-12 should also wear masks while at school this fall. Especially with the high levels of the new Delta variant going around the country, fully vaccinated people can still get breakthrough infections and be quite contagious.
With the Delta Variant being so contagious, the rules for masks and vaccination statuses seem to change frequently as federal health officials and scientists make discoveries about the new COVID-19 variants. Back in May of 2021, it came as a surprise to many that fully vaccinated people could mask free; this new update in safety could take some getting used to as the country works to get COVID-19 cases under control again.
Learn more about the new update on The Center for Disease Controls’ official website here and watch CDC Director Dr.Walkensky discuss the new guidelines with CBS This Morning above.
