- United States citizens have been told by the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) they can drop their masks if they’ve been fully vaccinated
- Under the latest guidelines, fully vaccinated Americans have been told they can attend all indoor and outdoor events and activities mask-free
- This includes things like trips to the barber, shopping, going to the movies and more
- The revised guidelines come around two weeks after the CDC said fully vaccinated Americans should still wear masks while indoors
- CDC Director Dr Rochelle Walensky said the change in tone comes as America’s vaccination program begins to show a change in COVID-19 data and infection rates
- Masks are still required on public transport and employees will still need to follow their workplace guidelines.
- According to the CDC, around 36 per cent of the U.S. population is considered fully vaccinated, while just under 47 per cent have received at least one dose
United States citizens have been told by the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) they can drop their masks if they’ve been fully vaccinated.
The CDC revised its mask guidance today, with Dr Rochelle Walensky — the organisation’s director — telling Americans that they can begin to return to pre-pandemic normalcy once they’ve received their jab.
“Anyone who is fully vaccinated can participate in indoor and outdoor activities, large and small, without wearing a mask or physical distancing,” Dr Walensky said.
“If you are fully vaccinated, you can start doing the things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic.”
The updated mask guidance comes just over two weeks after the CDC’s last set of guidelines, which told Americans they should still wear masks for indoor activities, even if fully vaccinated.
On April 28, the CDC said while fully vaccinated Americans could attend outdoor activities or small gatherings without masks, masks should still be worn indoors for things like barber or hair salon visits, shopping, movie theatres, church services and more.
Today, the CDC has revised these guidelines to suggest that all activities — indoor and outdoor — are safe for fully vaccinated people, though those who have not received a jab should keep masks on for all indoor activities.
UPDATE: If you are fully vaccinated against #COVID19, you can resume activities without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal or territorial laws, incl. local business and workplace guidance. More: https://t.co/FJMon7WlFO
— CDC (@CDCgov) May 13, 2021
Masks are still required on public transport and employees will still need to follow their workplace guidelines.
Dr Walensky said the updated guidelines come as the country’s vaccination program begins to show a change in COVID-19 data and infection rates.
“We have all longed for this moment, then we can get back to some sense of normalcy,” she said.
“Based on the continuing downward trajectory on cases, the scientific data on the performance of our vaccines, and our understanding of how the virus spreads, that moment has come for those who are fully vaccinated.”
Someone is classified as fully vaccinated two weeks after they have received their final COVID-19 jab.
This means for two-dose vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna, a person is only fully vaccinated two weeks after their second injection. For single-dose vaccines like Johnson & Johnson, a person is fully vaccinated two weeks after their first jab.
President Joe Biden said the new CDC guidelines are the result of hard work and sacrifice.
“After a year of hard work and so much sacrifice, the rule is now simple: get vaccinated or wear a mask until you do,” he said on Twitter.
According to the CDC, around 36 per cent of the U.S. population is considered fully vaccinated, while just under 47 per cent have received at least one dose.