My humble opinion. CDC is lifting Mask and social distancing too soon.

[PA_jen]

Full disclosure. I am an introvert. I do interact when I have too and I fell in love working from home. I think I was more productive. I am strongly thinking of leaving a job I love it I have to go back to the office. My husband and worries I am becoming a border line agoraphobic if I absolutely have to I will go out but if there is no need I won't.

Honestly I believe we are opening too quickly and relaxing mask and distancing. At least in my area too many covididiots. I also worry about the variants. Sooner or later we will find a variant that the vaccine can't protect. We keep moving up the goal post just so wall street and comport America can get their way? The rich can protect themselves easier than working class. They get better healthcare.


Sorry on tablet .

[brooklynite]

1. Nobody is stopping you from wearing a mask if you feel the need to.

Personally, I'll go with the science experts.

[beaglelover]

9. Agree 100%

I'm fully vaccinated and will not wear a mask any longer unless it is required by the particular establishment I am patronizing.

[USALiberal]

16. It gives the anti-maskers an out! Stupid! Nt

[LisaL]

19. Exactly.

Now they can just claimed they are vaccinated.

[Native]

39. The anti-maskers never needed an out.

[boston bean]

55. Yeah they did. Now they can just lie about it.

[BGBD]

66. No they didnt

They just didn't wear one and most places I've been to didn't make them.

[boston bean]

67. They could have been arrested for trespassing. I am sure that was a deterrent for many.

Now they will all just lie and act like they are part of the vaccinated.

[BGBD]

71. Could have

But never were.

I went in a wal mart last week it might have been 40% masked.

[USALiberal]

18. Scared of masks? Nt

[Bev54]

64. I read that Bill Maher is fully vaccinated

but just tested positive. He is a-symptomatic but can still give it to someone else. It is those not vaccinated that should be worried because those who are vaccinated can still spread it.

[PortTack]

2. Only 6 states have reached 70% vaccination rate. If I lived in one of those states I would go

Without a mask, but I don’t. I will continue to wear a masK, will not be going to restaurants or other crowded places where many will now not be masked.

[Loki Liesmith]

36. Add post infection immunity and things look good

https://covid19dashboardgt.shinyapps.io/us_immunitylevel/

[Demobrat]

78. My city is 70% vaccinated

but local businesses still require masks so really not much is different. If I still need it on public transportation and in stores, salons and restaurants I still need it.

The biggest difference is I can ride in a car with other unvaccinated people. That’s nice.

[FakeNoose]

3. We need to make our own decisions to keep our loved ones safe

The CDC guidelines - are only just guidelines.

Don't let anyone else tell you what makes YOU feel safe and what makes YOU feel comfortable. I'm fully vaccinated and yet I still wear a mask when I go to places like grocery stores, gas stations and restaurants. When I walk my dog on my street or cut my grass, I don't have to wear a mask. When I'm around people I don't know, I will still wear one.

[roamer65]

4. Masks also help protect against influenza and noroviruses.

[LisaL]

5. I agree. In my state, less than 50 % of population is vaccinated.

There are still bunch of un-vaccinated people running around. I don't trust them at all to tell the truth about their vaccination status.

[totodeinhere]

13. But if you are fully vaccinated then you are protected from people who are not vaccinated.

That is what the science is saying.

[LisaL]

15. Ever heard of breakthrough infections?

You are not protected a 100 %. Some people have died after being fully vaccinated.

[BigmanPigman]

25. CDC Director Walensky just told Rachel Maddow there is a 95% chance

of not getting infected after both shots. If you do get infected you are likely only getting a very mild case.

I think I'll wear mine as a political statement if I feel the situation is appropriate since I drew/wrote "tRump" inside of a red circle with a red slash through his name on 3 of my original, white N95 masks. I live in a blue area and everyone likes it, even my doctors.

[Big Blue Marble]

34. Did you mean to say 95% protection after two shots?

95% change of getting infected would keep many of us at home

!https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-first-nationwide-data-from-israel-shows-95-protection-from-infection-after-two-doses-of-pfizer-jab-12298002

[BigmanPigman]

35. Yes, that's what i meant. I'll correct it.

[totodeinhere]

27. Yes of course but breakthrough infections are statistically insignificant. Some people who get flu

shots also get breakthrough infections. No vaccine is 100% effective. But if you are fully vaccinated your chance of getting a breakthrough infection is so low that you would be more likely to have any number of other things happen to you first. If you are afraid of something that insignificant then you had better stay at hone at all times hiding under your bed,

[GulfCoast66]

48. Yes some have died. Less than 150 out of 100 million vaccinated.

That is coming close to one in a million chance.

Those odds are no reason to keep changing our lifestyle if vaccinated. If they were none of us would drive a vehicle.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

6. Yeah Maryland is opening up alot

And I think some of the things are opening too soon too.

It's because we got a damn republican as governor.
I never trusted hogan to care about the poorer and working people.

And obviously he listens to business owners at the expense of everyone else. Because he's a godamn republican.

I hope Maryland tosses out all republicans in power to the curb next voting cycle.

But sadly business people and skaredy magats and fundie people will keep voting for fucking republicans.

[48656c6c6f20]

7. I'm leaving my prison in 13 days

I will wear a mask even though I am a Pfizer alumni 2021 as of yesterday. It's been a long haul. I need to find my humans again and be part of life.

[Grasswire2]

8. totally agree nt

[Blue_playwright]

10. Totally agree.

I'm going to continue to wear mine (I work in a restaurant) and hope that the rest of the relaxing of preventative measures doesn't bite us in the ass. But I think it will.

[totodeinhere]

12. Why do you think that following the science, which is what the CDC is doing,

will bite us in the ass? Are you anti-science?

[Blue_playwright]

37. Nah, I just know people

And I know my state. They didn’t want to wear them to begin with.

[Ms. Toad]

68. The same CDC that about a week ago finally acknowedged that COVID is spread by

aerosolized particles (a year after that scientific reality was well established)?

The same CDC that said people shouldn't wear masks months after we knew they were protective?

The same CDC that said masks did not provide protection for the wearer months after we knew they did?

The CDC does not have a good record about being right as ot aerosolized transmission and - in every instance - has erred on the wrong side (that more likely to promote transmission than to prevent it).

[HUAJIAO]

79. THANK YOU Ms Toad. You saved me the trouble!!!

In much of the US infection rates are still considerably higher than the same time last year. They are pretty low in my county in Up-State NY, but still 8-10 times higher than May of last year when the county of 110,000 had only 1-2-3 per day.. As you mention, CDC was saying masks were not important last year.. Did they ever hear of, oh say, TAIWAN !!! Singapore!! Hong Kong??? DUH!!!!

I spent hours and hours and days last year studying the science of it all on my own, still do quite a bit...I had 3M N95 masks ready to go a couple months before the 'shutdown last March. So I'm with you. I take the CDC with a grain of salt.

[Ms. Toad]

80. I didn't have N95 -

But I had already started making (and wearing) masks - based on the scientific research I had done by early March of last year.

I've been right on COVID issues pretty darn close to 100% of the time. The day before our university shut down I was desperately trying to convince our department's administration to take this seriously. They pretty much laughed me out of the room. Then, less than 24 hours later . . .

The CDC - not so much.

[HUAJIAO]

82. Good on you.

I hope we don't get stomped for "not believing the science."

[Ms. Toad]

84. I get stomped all the time.

I just tell them to go search what I was saying here, when I said it. In fact I've been stomped within the last few days when I said the CDC was late to the game as to transmission by aerosolized matter.

I'll put my public record up against the CDC as to COVID transmission, rate of infection growth, etc. any day.

[HUAJIAO]

94. +1000

[BannonsLiver]

105. Oh my

That last graph...

Bahahahahahahahahahaha

[Ms. Toad]

110. Check it and prove me wrong.

You won't be able to because as to transmission of COVID I have a near perfect record, and the CDC's record has been flat out wrong.

[BannonsLiver]

111. You have a perfect record of transmitting Covid?

[Ms. Toad]

113. When it is impossible to prove your point,

Nitpick the phrasing.

[BannonsLiver]

114. How would I prove or disprove you are the expert you claim to be?

You’ve said you know more about the virus than epidemiologists and others at the CDC.

[Ms. Toad]

115. Search DU for the statements I have made regarding the transmision of COVID

Including, but not limited to:

The growth rate (including specific predictions as to when infections would reach certain levels)
Masks prevent transmission
Masks protect the wearer, not just those around the wearer
COVID transmits as aerosolized matter
COVID can be transmitted by asymptomatic individuals
The vaccines not only prevent severe disease but also prevent infection and transmission.

I have been anything but silent on COVID 19, so there's a significant record here. On each of these points (and I'm sure others I've forgotten) I've been right and the CDC has been either wrong (e.g.masks prevent transmission), or significantly later than I have been (e.g. aerosolized transmission).

I am not claiming to be an expert. I am claiming that I have been correct as to virtually every statement I have made about the transmisson of COVID 19 - and the CDC has been wrong, or enough later that it likely contributed to the development of dangerous behavior. It doesn't take being an expert. It takes paying attention to peer-reviewed literature (when it is available), reading the research from multiple sources that is too early to be peer-reviewed, a basic knowledge of mathematics and science, and a healthy dose of skepticism about new pronouncements by an agency which has (repeatedly) proven itself wrong or late to the game

[Sympthsical]

96. Exactly. I trust science. It's people I worry about

This whole, "Are you against science?!" angle of attack. Jesus.

I trust science that hasn't fucked up as much as the CDC has during all this.

[BannonsLiver]

102. Yes, my dad makes many of the same arguments

Of course he also loves Trump, thinks Fauci is a crook and a liar and doesn’t trust the government either.

[Ms. Toad]

107. My statements are factually accurate (unlike your dad's)

and backed by science (unlike most trump lover's).

I trust the science. Anyone who blindly trusts the government after they have been wrong on virtually every pronouncement during the pandemic on transmission - including during the Biden administration (by failure to correct prior misstatements for more than 3 months).

Shame on you for suggesting that those of us who actually do trust the science, do our own science-based research, and have a proven track record on things the CDC has gotten wrong are like your Trump-loving dad because we are calling out specific pronouncements that are inconsistent with what we currently know about transmission and risk.

[BannonsLiver]

109. "I trust the science!11"

“Except when I think I have some special insight no one else has...”

[Ms. Toad]

112. No. I have no special insights.

Just scientific research in peer-reviewed and medical literature.

The CDC's pronouncements have been, and continue to be, influenced by politics. In this instance, the driving force seems to be rewarding those who have been vaccinated, without regard to the impact this decision has on the number of breakthrough cases encouraging abandonment of masks will cause, or the impact this decision will have on the risks posed for individuals who cannot be vaccinated (under 12, those who cannot take the vaccine for medical reasons) or those who cannot develop imunity even though they are vaccinated (people who are immune compromised, for example).

[Spider Jerusalem]

93. If they're following the science why did 95% of surveyed epidemiologists...

expect at least 6 more months?

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/13/upshot/epidemiologists-coronavirus-masks.html

[totodeinhere]

11. I would trust the CDC under the new administration to follow the science.

If the science says that fully vaccinated people can be safely maskless then that's good enough for me. If a new variant comes along that is not affected by the current vaccines we can revisit the guidelines, but for the time being studies are showing that the major vaccines are effective against the variants we know of. But of course you are free to continue to wear a mask even if you are fully vaccinated if that is your choice. And yes there are a lot of covididiots, but remember that people who are not fully vaccinated yet must continue to wear masks,

[PA_jen]

17. And do you think they are going to follow mask rules.

[totodeinhere]

29. Probably not but if you are fully vaccinated it won't matter to you what others do.

Your chances of catching it from them even if they are maskless are nil. And even if you did catch it because you are fully vaccinated you are virtually 100% protected from a severe case or death. If you deny the veracity of this science then you are as bad as right wing science deniers.

[questionseverything]

95. Everyone seems to be forgetting the children who can't get the shot yet

Basically now the anti vaccine people will blend in with everyone else

Before ending the mask mandate it was easy to tell who the idiots were

[Rebl2]

45. Of course they won't

[babylonsister]

14. I think so, too, but I imagine they're banking

on people like us to be extra-cautious. Hopefully we're weeding the covidiots out.

[LakeArenal]

20. Masks are a way of life now.

People with colds or flu should wear masks from now on. Japan has been way ahead of us on mask wearing.

Of course they have had terrible air quality in the past.

[Yavin4]

74. Japan is experiencing a surge in cases and deaths

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japanese-prefecture-says-deaths-home-surge-amid-4th-covid-19-wave-2021-05-11/

[oregonjen]

77. The government has been sitting on vaccines, not getting them distributed

It’s so puzzling to watch NHK news and see the atrocious rollout. The citizens are getting fed up with their government and I don’t blame them.

[GulfCoast66]

88. Europe is pretty much sucking as well.

They seemed to depend on their healthcare system, which in normal time may be great. But can’t handle the entire population in a short period of time.

The US, using our typical ingenuity has far outperform most other nations. I think most European countries have less than 25% of their population even having one dose.

[Quakerfriend]

21. I agree- especially given the fact that

Indian immunologists say that they think rapidly spreading variant 1617 is more virulent AND the vaccines do not protect against it. Right now, ~ 28% of all cases in India are believed to be due to this variant. We only stopped in coming flights from India last week. 🙄

[Trueblue1968]

22. I AGREE WITH YOU. I will still wear a mask. I'm over 65, have CHF & high blood pressure.

i think it's too soon.

[LisaL]

23. I am just going to wear a valved mask.

Since CDC says we don't need masks, why shouldn't I protect myself and be comfortable?

[boston bean]

24. Good idea!

[liberal_mama]

72. That's a great idea! I want to buy a valved mask too!

[HUAJIAO]

81. Just in case it is of concern to you,

Last edited Fri May 14, 2021, 09:39 AM - Edit history (1)

a valved mask will protect you but NOT others...

[LisaL]

97. That's my point exactly.

Since people won't be wearing masks, I want to protect myself.

[HUAJIAO]

99. Good move....

[marye50]

26. My husband and I are still going to wear inside stores etc

We are both vaccinated but my husband is ESRD and will need dialysis/kidney transplant.

[TomSlick]

116. I tend to agree.

My wife and I am both in good health (for old folks) but we are in an area with a low vaccination rate and a high Trumpster rate. I've been too careful too long to blow it now.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

28. I tend to agree

According to the CDC I can go mask free in 12 days but what's to prevent others who haven't been vaccinated from not following their guidelines? How is this enforced?

[USALiberal]

30. It's not, that is my issue! Nt

[magicarpet]

31. The Covidiots are the ones who stand to get nailed,..

They categorically refuse masks, social distancing, or any vaccine, and remain believing the pandemic is a hoax.

Once the vaccinated crowd lowers their guard, that will be a signal to the Covidiot group to unleash and party hearty.

The summer of 2021 will be the Covidiots chance to kick off their shoes,... mix and mingle with all their friends, and make up for lost party hearty times that were on hold or cancelled due to the pandemic.

Right wing nut jobs and the alpha macho man crowd are going to get pounded by the Coronavirus real bad this coming summer and fall.

Stand back,... wish them well,... look upon it as 2022 & 2024 fascist, white supremacist, and Christian Nazis voter suppression.

[SharonClark]

32. I'm glad. I got the vaccinations for a reason.

Now I can be with vaccinated family and friends without a mask. I’ll still avoid crowds or places where people are unlikely to have gotten the jab but other than that, I’m happy with the CDC today.

[Evolve Dammit]

33. I agree with your humble opinion. Way too early to open the floodgates. nt

[ailsagirl]

41. 👍

[Loki Liesmith]

38. I'm done with masks unless a business requires it.

[beaglelover]

49. +1

[Skittles]

122. Trump humpers could use some company

yes indeed

[ailsagirl]

40. My mask stays

But then, Dr Fauci agrees. Still, I’m not changing anything — the mask stays ON for me.

[bucolic_frolic]

42. THe public is antsy, it's been a long seige

The illness is treated well now, even in severe cases. We have no choice but to join the optimism and move forward to as much normal as we can grab.

If there are variants, we'll deal with them when it happens. It's a sad pandemic. We wanted to save everyone and prevent suffering. Life doesn't always work that way.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

43. I like the CDC guidance

Idiots who are not vaccinated can just catch the virus and suffer the consequences of their stupidity.

Link to tweet

[Quakerfriend]

44. And now news is breaking that 8 fully vaccinated Yankees players test + for covid

[FakeNoose]

56. They got the J&J vaccine which only has about 70% immunity

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines both require 2 shots, but you're 95% or higher immunity. These guys who got the J&J knew the risk, that they could still get sick.

So the good news is that they are asymptomatic and their Covid infection is (so far) minimal and they probably won't have to go to a hospital. The men are young, healthy and in good physical shape, and we're hoping they will be OK.

[Calculating]

58. The point is that you don't get super sick

Not that it entirely prevents all infection

[IronLionZion]

62. They probably won't require hospitalization and won't die

because it will be milder than if they were not vaccinated

[moondust]

46. Tend to agree.

Last edited Thu May 13, 2021, 11:58 PM - Edit history (2)

Even after full vax you can still get the virus as happened to members of that baseball team. And even if asymptomatic I assume you can still transmit it to kids and others who may not be vaxxed.



Sanjay Gupta just addressed this with Don Lemon. He said the chances of someone fully vaccinated getting infected and then transmitting it are "really, really low" due to having a very low viral load.



Oh yeah, what about India variants?

~
Earlier, Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not rule out reintroducing regional restrictions, saying: "It is a variant of concern, we are anxious about it."
~
Indian variant: Next steps considered amid India variant concern

[Raftergirl]

47. I won't be changing anything I'm doing right now

and I can’t be worried about what the antimaskers/antivacxxers do anymore. If they don’t care if the get sick or worse, I’m certainly not going to waste the bandwidth to care.

I’m protected as much as any vaccine can protect one, and I’ll continue taking the precautions I feel are necessary to stay healthy.

I’m also fortunate that I live in a high vax area and everyone I know is vaccinated (friends and family) and would only go unmasked around them. I also don’t expect most businesses here will be getting rid of their mask requirement anytime soon.

[GulfCoast66]

50. Totally disagree. The data speaks for itself.

100 million fully vaccinated Americans. Less than 10 thousand breakthrough cases. That a one in 10,000 chance. Less than 150 deaths. That approaching one in a million.

Unless the data changes it would be dishonest to tell fully vaccinated people they need to keep living this crazy life we have been. And politically devastating.

If you are fully vaccinated and still afraid to go out you really should not drive a vehicle. Because the data proves it more dangerous than dying from Covid.

I don’t really care if people keep wearing masks. I expect about 5-10% of Americans will well after Covid is gone. Fine by me. Hell, I might in flu season.

But I won’t be one of them.

If the data changes so will my decisions. But the main reason I like DU is because it is normally a science based site. Current science does not justify mask mandates for vaccinated people.

The unvaccinated? They will keep dying and getting sick. A year ago that would have bothered me. Today I could give a fuck.

[questionseverything]

98. Kids under 12 can't get vaccinated, what about them?

[GulfCoast66]

108. Then they keep wearing masks. I think where DU members live effects their feelings about this.

I’m starting to realize that.

Here in Florida we have no mask mandates. If you are unvaccinated and go out anywhere you will be around unmasked people. Have for months and months. So the only thing that changes is that fully vaccinated people don’t have to mask if they have been responsible enough to follow CDC guidelines. Which the wife and I have religiously. Unfortunately many don’t and the state does nothing to stop them. Nor penalize businesses that don’t require it.

I can see how Blue states it could be a different kettle of fish. And people will have different perceptions on this issue.

Nevertheless, I fully expect quite a few states will never get much above 50% vaccinated. Even 5 months from now.

Have a good weekend.

[totodeinhere]

117. The kids under 12 should continue to wear a mask.

This new guideline from the CDC is for fully vaccinated people.

[questionseverything]

119. Without the mask rule the anti vaccine people will blend in

Which will lead to more live virus so even though children are masked more will get sick this way

[totodeinhere]

121. Anti-vaccine people are not covered by this new policy.

I repeat. This only applies to fully vaccinated people. Unvaccinated people are still required to wear a mask. Of course not all will but that has always been the case.

[StarryNite]

51. I'm still going to wear one when in stores.

I'm in no hurry to eat in restaurants and still don't intend to be in crowds. Time will tell how this works out.

[TomDaisy]

52. I'm ok with watching the unvaccinated infect each other

[Demobrat]

89. I would be too except

for the space they would take up in hospitals and the extra work they would create for doctors and nurses. Health care workers deserve a break.

If they would just stay home when they got sick they could just all cough on each other for all I care.

[Skittles]

123. yes

it is AMAZING now many people leave front line workers out of the equation when referring to KARMA for the unvaccinated

[TNNurse]

53. My fear is that the people who were not getting the vaccine were not wearing masks anyway.

TN had very few mask mandates. Our idiot governor left it up to cities and counties and they punted.

I will change my behavior some, but in stores, restaurants until I get my food, I will continue to wear a mask.

[TomDaisy]

54. there's still no way I'm going into a movie theater, even with a mask, no matter what

I'm not going into any situation where there's a packed crowd.

Will fly because I have to but we should all be masked on a plane.

If people aren't masked at stores, I'll be shopping very early or very late when few people are there.

[marble falls]

57. Agree 100%

[former9thward]

59. The CDC is following the science.

If you do not wish to follow the science that is fine, wear a mask until the end of life. Up to you. But no mask for me and others who follow the science.

[USALiberal]

69. Are you scared of masks? What is the downside of wearing them? Nt

[former9thward]

75. You can't be serious.

[GulfCoast66]

92. Sadly some have taken mask wearing to be proof of being a liberal.

But I’m not surprised.

Just weird to see so many people here who for a year have preached follow the science suddenly rejecting it.

As you know, data tells us that if vaccinated you have just under one and a million chance of dying of Covid. There is no justification for the government to have mask mandates with those odds. Otherwise we could not drive!

And politically it will kill us!

[GulfCoast66]

91. Are you afraid of not wearing a mask? See how easy that is?

The CDC is making a good call based on the data we have. Just under one a million chance of dying of Covid if you are vaccinated based on the data of 100 million Americans who are vaccinated. 100 million vaccinated, less than 150 deaths among them.

I’ve got no problem with people who decide to continue wearing masks. I may during a big flu outbreak.

But the facts don’t support continued government dictates or even recommendations for vaccinated people to wear masks.

Of course people who choose to continue to have every right.

Fully vaccinated people’s decision not to mask now is no longer a sign of being an anti-science nut.

I’ve worn the damn thing religiously for over a year. As I’ve watched the data over the past 2 months I’m not surprised by this decision. And welcome it.

[Happy Hoosier]

106. I don't wear a hardhat if I don't need one either.

I will follow the advice of the experts.

If some place I visit requires a mask I will wear one. Other than that, i have two does of the Moderna....

[Solomon]

90. You say follow the science but the science says you can still get covid even if fully vaccinated.

Some of us are old with serious health issues like copd and heart disease. I wouldn't want even a mild case of covid. It's not fair for you to imply that wearing a mask is not following science. It is, because science says you can still get infected even if vaccinated.

[mgardener]

60. My so and I thought the same thing

I live in NY state.
I wonder what Cuomo will do. He already stated that COVID vaccine will be required for SUNY colleges.
Risk for getting COVID in my county was just downgraded from Very high to high today.

[mgardener]

61. My so and I thought the same thing

I live in NY state.
I wonder what Cuomo will do. He already stated that COVID vaccine will be required for SUNY colleges.
Risk for getting COVID in my county was just downgraded from Very high to high today.

[Ford_Prefect]

63. I feel like this is somehow sending the wrong message. Not because the science isn't sound.

I think what they have said is probably true, for now.

However there is not enough data regarding the evolution of the disease elsewhere. Some of the identified variants seem to be resisted by current vaccines so far.

I've read that the long-term concern is that it will morph into a form that will bypass our current vaccines and we will then need an improved or even different version, if that indeed will be enough.

I agree with several of you that the anti-mask, anti-vax crowd will not comply and will fake it when they can. I've heard some disturbing commentary while waiting to check out at the grocery or shopping in the hardware store. More to the point is that they will keep the disease alive among us, and they will require care, or burial, or both. That will consume not only medical resources and time, but it will also damage my town, and this valley, and this part of the state I live in. It will also feed the terrible culture war that Trump, the GOP, Koch et al, and FOX have visited upon us.

I think we need a very different approach to it all. When I was a child we got the SALK vaccine and I remember going to the public school to get it along with my family so that everyone would be safe. I'm not a political strategist and right now I don't give a damn about politics as such. This is a national emergency on a scale with war and famine. Why the fuck isn't that our approach?

[Bmoboy]

65. You can only announce "all clear" once

any future setback, variant, breakout, surge and the "all clear" announcement will be on spin repeat.

Our problem is we let politicians run our political system.

Maybe we shouldn't run things politically.

[GulfCoast66]

86. WTF? You can only call all clear when you are sure nothing bad can happen? That's never!

We can only use the data we have. Not fears about what might happen.

If you are vaccinated you have just under a one in a million chance of dying. 100 million fully vaccinated Americans. Less than 150 deaths.

With those numbers it would be dishonest to tell vaccinated people to keep living like we have been for the past year.

If someone chooses to, good for them. No problem with it. But science does not dictate mandatory usage.

[Marcuse]

70. The good news is that the price of masks is plummeting.

[speaknow]

73. I'd say the CDC was going to slow if anything ,

Because of the them moving slow, people that
got fully vaccinated started wondering if the
vaccine work at all. People got vaccinated so they
don't wear a mask can visit family and friends, and
didn't want to get sick or worse.
People that don't get vaccinated and lie that's
there choice and that choice can become deadly
for them.

[MLAA]

76. I saw a funny meme but can't find it now. It said:

I’m stilling wearing a mask to show I’m not a Republican!

[ecstatic]

83. I have conflicting thoughts

When you really think about it, unless you're wearing an N95, is your mask really doing much?

My point is, the masks kind of feel like a security blanket and now the CDC has abruptly snatched them away like a used Band-Aid. But maybe it is time to rip the masks off and move forward. To get on with life. Maybe it will be okay. I never once donned a mask during the swine flu outbreak. Hell, I went on a cruise that year.

Maybe the unspoken part of the CDC's announcement is that the risk level now is similar to what it usually is with regard to flus and other outbreaks. Some people are more vulnerable than others, obviously.

If or when I decide to go maskless, I will feel pretty vulnerable at first. It will take some getting used to, just like it took time to get used to going out with the mask on. I will miss the ability to walk around almost completely incognito. The masks make it easier to make quick trips to the store without getting dolled up.

[totodeinhere]

118. Oh come on. The CDC has not "snatched away" our masks.

The CDC is not preventing anyone who wants to wear a mask from doing so. And if you will miss some of the aspects of wearing a mask, just don't stop wearing one. It's not rocket science.

[blogslug]

85. It's a lot to process, this shift in our collective experience.

We had a full year to acclimate to mask-wearing, social distancing and WFH. Long enough for practice to become habit. Take your time. You are here and whatever you've been doing, that's what got you here.

[BobTheSubgenius]

87. I agree.

We've stuck it out this long - what's another couple of months to make sure the job's done right?

[Polybius]

100. I support indoor mask mandates for the rest of our lives

Masks not only help to prevent Covid, but also colds, the flu, and a host of other bad things you can catch without wearing one.

[beaglelover]

104. No thank you!

[BannonsLiver]

101. Everyone thinks they have some special insight no one else has.

They don’t.

[Happy Hoosier]

103. Are you an epidemiologist?

If not, your opinion doesn’t hold much weignt.

People can choose to do what they want here, but we either trust the experts or we don’t.

[totodeinhere]

120. How can you say we are opening too quickly when the latest science has proved that fully vaccinated

people are protected from contracting the virus about 97% of the time. And on the very slim chance that you do get it the vaccine will prevent serious illness and death virtually 100% of the time. So why would a vaccinated person need a mask? I think you are peddling in fear mongering.