CDC updates guidance, recommends vaccinated people wear masks indoors in certain areas

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CNN

(CNN) To prevent further spread of the Delta variant, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its mask guidance on Tuesday to recommend that fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors when in areas with "substantial" and "high" transmission of Covid-19, which includes nearly two-thirds of all US counties. New unpublished data showing that vaccinated people infected with the Delta coronavirus variant can have as much virus as those who are unvaccinated is the primary driver for the CDC's latest mask guidance change, a source involved with the decision process told CNN.

Overall, vaccinated people still play a small role in transmission and breakthrough infections are rare. In addition, the source noted two other factors that led to this decision: the prevalence of the Delta variant and low vaccine uptake. When the CDC previously revised its guidance on May 13 for vaccinated people to unmask, Delta only represented 1% of reported infections. Now, according to the CDC, it represents at least 83% of cases.

The source also noted that the country's overall level of vaccination is lower than what was initially expected and that most transmission is happening in areas with vaccination levels below 40% of the population. "When you get information about risks and how to mitigate risks, there's a public health obligation to let people know about it," a senior administration official said. The White House is hoping that the new guidance will give local officials "a lot of cover" to implement new mask mandates where appropriate.

Meanwhile, the guidance for unvaccinated people remains the same: continue masking until they are fully vaccinated.
Nearly half -- 46% -- of US counties currently have high transmission and 17% have "substantial" transmission, according to data from the CDC, as of Tuesday morning.In two states, Arkansas and Louisiana, every county is currently listed as having "high" levels of community transmission of Covid-19, according to CDC data. Several other states -- including Missouri, Mississippi and Alabama -- also have "high" transmission in nearly every county. In Florida, every county was listed with high transmission on Monday; as of Tuesday morning, one -- Glades County -- has substantial transmission.




Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/27/health/cdc-mask-guidance-vaccinated-people-bn/index.html

---

Here is a portion of CDC's latest posted guidance - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html

Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People

Updated July 27, 2021

Summary of Recent Changes

Updated information for fully vaccinated people given new evidence on the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant currently circulating in the United States.

Added a recommendation for fully vaccinated people to wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission.

Added information that fully vaccinated people might choose to wear a mask regardless of the level of transmission, particularly if they are immunocompromised or at increased risk for severe disease from COVID-19, or if they have someone in their household who is immunocompromised, at increased risk of severe disease or not fully vaccinated.

Added a recommendation for fully vaccinated people who have a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 to be tested 3-5 days after exposure, and to wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result.

CDC recommends universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status

[Scrivener7]

1. .

[BumRushDaShow]

2. It's a walk-back

and what is actually critical is the recommendation for "universal masking" in the schools because THAT was about to become a disaster ready to happen.

[Scrivener7]

4. I just don't listen to them anymore.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. Well you ain't the only one

But when it comes to the many Health Departments and other public officials in states/counties/municipalities, it gives them some more leverage to "do the right thing" when drafting and communicating their own guidance. And that's because the naysayers have continually pointed to the CDC to attack officials in communities that wanted to implement stricter requirements.

[sheshe2]

7. I have not stopped wearing one.

I am not in a hot spot but I'm not stupid.

[Scrivener7]

8. My newest strategy is to do the opposite of what they say. When they said

to stop masking, I upgraded from surgical to N95 masks.

[sheshe2]

9. Agree.

I am wearing a filter inside a multi layer cloth mask...hope that is enough.

[StarryNite]

12. I've gone back to double masking with a surgical mask

with a multi layer cloth mask and filter. Surgical mask is next to my face with cloth mask over. But I've also ordered N95 masks.

[RAB910]

17. KN95 or N95 are better choivrs

[MichMan]

25. So does that mean you are going to stop wearing one now?

[Scrivener7]

27. No. They only said to mask if you're in a high transmission area. I'm in a lower transmission

area. I'll keep masking and become more conservative about going to restaurants and stores.

Because even though I am in a lower transmission area, we know what's coming, so why the hell would they make that distinction? Why not head this thing off in the places where it isn't devastating us yet?

They are ridiculous.

[LisaL]

28. Low transmission area?

Just give it a couple of weeks. I don't get why they made a distinction either. Shouldn't people mask to prevent low transmission area from becoming a high transmission area?

[Scrivener7]

29. You'd think. But this is the CDC we're talking about.

[LisaL]

33. Yep, they didn't get all that higher education for nothing.

[sheshe2]

11. Yes it is.

I am happy about K-12. I read a week ago about summer camps, all over the country, closing due to COVID. Who didn't see that one coming.

[BumRushDaShow]

15. Yes - I have been most concerned with the schools

especially when they kept saying - "well you only need 3ft distance" and "children are at little risk".

They didn't learn any lessons from what happened last summer at camps, where few if any were masked because "outdoors", and the same is happening this year - with no distancing requirements or masks. I know fortunately one of my young nephews who is at a day camp this summer is at one that has them fully masked - even outdoors.

[C Moon]

34. It's a walk-back because too many boneheads wouldn't vaccinate.

Things were improving rapidly, then then Delta variant caught on fire because of the damn boneheaded dumb-asses who refused to vaccinate.

[BumRushDaShow]

35. They knew Delta was coming

If anything what can be seen as "consistent" the past 18 months is that we are always just a few months behind what ends up happening in the UK, EU countries, or Israel. So because there is quite a bit of back and forth travel between those locations and here, it's inevitable that whatever they have there will end up here.

I posted the below in my GD thread -

[róisín_dubh]

39. Travel between the U.K. and the US...

Is insanely difficult at the moment. I’m currently in the U.K. and one of the lovely “breakthrough” cases (likely delta, but I don’t know for sure yet). It is almost impossible for an average Brit to come over to the US; you either must be a citizen or a permanent resident, or the immediate family of one. My partner cannot travel with me. I am not sure at this time how I will get home, as since I am currently Covid+, I may continue to test positive for the next many months. Today my day will be spent on the phone with the US embassy and the NHS, trying to figure out where I get paperwork from attesting to my illness and recovery.
That the US does not have quarantine requirements for unvaccinated people is shocking.
Sorry for the long ramble.

[BumRushDaShow]

40. Not a long ramble but your reality.

Here's my ramble.

There are certain infectious diseases that allow for a certain level of required quarantine (like Ebola, that caused quite a production 7 years ago). The legal issues that resulted in the case HICKOX V. CHRISTIE were spelled out by one of the Centers in NIH (published in 2016) - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4869076/

Public Health Rep. 2016 May-Jun; 131(3): 500–503. PMCID: PMC4869076
doi: 10.1177/003335491613100316 PMID: 27252570


Quarantine and Liability in the Context of Ebola
Polly J. Price, JD

Courts have only rarely evaluated quarantine or isolation orders issued by a state health department, but they may soon do so in the context of Ebola. Litigation has begun in New Jersey and Connecticut pursuant to quarantines imposed on returning health-care workers during the 2014 Ebola scare. These lawsuits raise questions about the authority and responsibility of state health departments with respect to people who were potentially exposed to the virus but who exhibited no symptoms. Ebola presented a unique situation because the disease takes up to three weeks to develop after exposure yet required lengthy quarantine of people who were exposed but not sick. This article briefly explores the legal standards that apply.

(snip)

In 2016, a settlement was announced by the ACLU for the case and in summary, this was agreed to and would supposedly be settled case law for dealing with quarantine for infectious diseases such as Ebola) -

Under the agreement:

Quarantine or isolation will be imposed only when medically and epidemiologically necessary to prevent the spread of Ebola.

When those measures are carried out, they must be in the least restrictive means to prevent the spread of Ebola, and after less restrictive measures have been explored.

To authorize quarantine, there must be a comprehensive order documenting information such as the legal authority under which the order is issued, the medical basis of the isolation, and a statement explaining the right to retain an attorney and appeal, among other provisions.

https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/victory-detained-nurses-ebola-suit-will-secure-due-process-nj-quarantine-rules

And keeping that in mind, back in 2014 there was a good NPR discussion about the transmission rate of Ebola compared to other infectious diseases - https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/10/02/352983774/no-seriously-how-contagious-is-ebola

(the "SARS" mentioned below was SARS-CoV-1)



And THIS is where we are now with the higher incidences of SARS-CoV-2 variants -



So it's difficult now but recall months ago where Delta was alleged to have come from - India.

And this is what happened back on April 30, 2021, after news about Delta had already been causing much concern around the world -

A Proclamation on the Suspension of Entry as Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting Coronavirus Disease 2019

April 30, 2021
• Presidential Actions

The national emergency caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in the United States continues to pose a grave threat to our health and security. As of April 29, 2021, the United States had experienced more than 32 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 570,000 COVID-19 deaths. It is the policy of my Administration to implement science-based public health measures, across all areas of the Federal Government, to act swiftly and aggressively to prevent further spread of the disease.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), within the Department of Health and Human Services, working in close coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, has determined that the Republic of India is experiencing widespread, ongoing person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The World Health Organization has reported that the Republic of India has had more than 18,375,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The magnitude and scope of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of India is surging; the Republic of India accounts for over one-third of new global cases, and the number of new cases in the Republic of India is accelerating at a rapid rate. There have been more than 300,000 average new daily cases in the Republic of India over the past week. A variant strain of the virus, known as B.1.617 (ed. "Delta" ), is also circulating in the Republic of India, along with other variant strains, including B.1.1.7, first detected in the United Kingdom, and B.1.351, first detected in the Republic of South Africa. The CDC advises, based on work by public health and scientific experts, that these variants have characteristics of concern, which may make them more easily transmitted and have the potential for reduced protection afforded by some vaccines.

After reviewing the public health situation within the Republic of India, CDC has concluded that proactive measures are required to protect the Nation’s public health from travelers entering the United States from that jurisdiction.

Given the determination of CDC, working in close coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, described above, I have determined that it is in the interests of the United States to take action to restrict and suspend the entry into the United States, as nonimmigrants, of noncitizens of the United States (“noncitizens”) who were physically present within the Republic of India during the 14‑day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f) and 1185(a), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, hereby find that the unrestricted entry into the United States of persons described in section 1 of this proclamation would, except as provided for in section 2 of this proclamation, be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and that their entry should be subject to certain restrictions, limitations, and exceptions. I therefore hereby proclaim the following:

Section 1. Suspension and Limitation on Entry. The entry into the United States, as nonimmigrants, of noncitizens who were physically present within the Republic of India during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States is hereby suspended and limited subject to section 2 of this proclamation.

Sec. 2. Scope of Suspension and Limitation on Entry.

(a) Section 1 of this proclamation shall not apply to:

(i) any lawful permanent resident of the United States;

(ii) any noncitizen national of the United States;

(iii) any noncitizen who is the spouse of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident;

(iv) any noncitizen who is the parent or legal guardian of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, provided that the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident is unmarried and under the age of 21;

(v) any noncitizen who is the sibling of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, provided that both are unmarried and under the age of 21;

(vi) any noncitizen who is the child, foster child, or ward of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, or who is a prospective adoptee seeking to enter the United States pursuant to the IR-4 or IH-4 visa classifications;

(vii) any noncitizen traveling at the invitation of the United States Government for a purpose related to containment or mitigation of the virus;

(viii) any noncitizen traveling as a nonimmigrant pursuant to a C-1, D, or C-1/D nonimmigrant visa as a crewmember or any noncitizen otherwise traveling to the United States as air or sea crew;

(ix) any noncitizen

(A) seeking entry into or transiting the United States pursuant to one of the following visas: A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3 (as a foreign government official or immediate family member of an official), E-1 (as an employee of TECRO or TECO or the employee’s immediate family members), G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, NATO-1 through NATO-4, or NATO-6 (or seeking to enter as a nonimmigrant in one of those NATO categories); or

(B) whose travel falls within the scope of section 11 of the United Nations Headquarters Agreement;

(x) any noncitizen who is a member of the U.S. Armed Forces or who is a spouse or child of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces;

(xi) any noncitizen whose entry would further important United States law enforcement objectives, as determined by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or their respective designees, based on a recommendation of the Attorney General or his designee; or

(xii) any noncitizen whose entry would be in the national interest, as determined by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or their designees.

(b) Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to affect any individual’s eligibility for asylum, withholding of removal, or protection under the regulations issued pursuant to the legislation implementing the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, consistent with the laws and regulations of the United States.

Sec. 3. Implementation and Enforcement.

(a) The Secretary of State shall implement this proclamation as it applies to visas pursuant to such procedures as the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, may establish. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall implement this proclamation as it applies to the entry of noncitizens pursuant to such procedures as the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, may establish.

(b) The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall endeavor to ensure that any noncitizen subject to this proclamation does not board an aircraft traveling to the United States, to the extent permitted by law.

(c) The Secretary of Homeland Security may establish standards and procedures to ensure the application of this proclamation at and between all United States ports of entry.

(d) Where a noncitizen circumvents the application of this proclamation through fraud, willful misrepresentation of a material fact, or illegal entry, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall consider prioritizing such noncitizen for removal.

Sec. 4. Termination. This proclamation shall remain in effect until terminated by the President. The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, as circumstances warrant and no more than 30 days after the date of this proclamation and by the final day of each calendar month thereafter, recommend whether the President should continue, modify, or terminate this proclamation.

Sec. 5. Effective Date. This proclamation is effective at 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on May 4, 2021. This proclamation does not apply to persons aboard a flight scheduled to arrive in the United States that departed prior to 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on May 4, 2021.

Sec. 6. Severability. It is the policy of the United States to enforce this proclamation to the maximum extent possible to advance the national security, public safety, and foreign policy interests of the United States. Accordingly:

(a) if any provision of this proclamation, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this proclamation and the application of its provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby; and

(b) if any provision of this proclamation, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid because of the lack of certain procedural requirements, the relevant executive branch officials shall implement those procedural requirements to conform with existing law and with any applicable court orders.

Sec. 7. General Provisions.

(a) Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This proclamation shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This proclamation is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/04/30/a-proclamation-on-the-suspension-of-entry-as-nonimmigrants-of-certain-additional-persons-who-pose-a-risk-of-transmitting-coronavirus-disease-2019/

(emphasis mine)

But by then, Delta had already started taking hold around the world as Indians in the diaspora scrambled to help family in their native country, and then return. You also had citizens/residents of the U.S. and other countries who were living/working/in school in India, and chose to return home, some bringing Delta with them.

So we knew and CDC knew, but... the pressure to "open up the economy" was too much.

[EYESORE 9001]

3. In other news...

a major effort is underway to put toothpaste back in a tube. It will be exponentially harder to get some people to wear a mask again - no matter how compelling the argument or fervent the plea.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Well it boxes in and takes away one excuse for the ones who have been proclaiming--

"But we're ONNNNLLLLYYYYY following the CDC guiiiiiiiiiiddddancccccceeee...".

[Ms. Toad]

38. Yup! n/t

I am so tempted to write an "I told you so" thread. The only thing preventing it is that I would need to craft it very carefully - and I'm too busy to do that until Thursday, at the earliest.

[BumRushDaShow]

41. I remember over a year ago

all the "Well it's mainly spreading on the coasts and in the urban areas so it's not a concern or will ever be a concern in the Midwest or rural areas", as if there were magical walls that kept people from traveling around the country and spreading it everywhere.

Just from the below, how the early waves came and went and would eventually do a Groundhog Day redux (March 2020 - September 2020) -

[StarryNite]

13. CDC recommendations but what about asshole governors

like AZ gov Doug Ducey who forbids mask mandates for school kids?

"Ducey’s executive order stated that students could not “be mandated to take the COVID-19 vaccine or submit COVID-19 vaccination documents.” Under the order, students also cannot be required to be tested or wear masks to participate in learning."

[link:https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2021/07/07/arizonas-ban-on-mask-mandates-in-schools-criticized-by-health-experts/|

[BumRushDaShow]

16. Well they are the Chairs of the state Death Panels

and regardless of what CDC says, the Panel will rule that "people" will come AFTER "business" in priority.

What this would at least do is remove a "talking point" from some of them claiming they are "only following CDC's guidance".

[Maggiemayhem]

30. A federal mandate is the only way to get a handle on this

[Ford_Prefect]

14. They are dangerously under-stating the breakthrough frequency

along with possible effects on those who become infected that way.

In Britain and elsewhere that the Delta wave has grown there is more breakthrough seen and more variety of consequence to those it infects this way.

I am so disappointed in whoever is making these statements public. They fly in the face of results and conditions seen elsewhere and seem to be far behind the real data. I can't tell if they are just being bureaucratically inefficient or have a fatal flaw owing to interference by GOP and TLG.

[BumRushDaShow]

18. I think so

They really need a calibrated message because I think they fear if they say - "Well people will still get it anyway even if they are vaccinated" then people will say - "Well then why bother?".

So it really needs to be something like - "Get the vaccine but continue to help reduce any possible spread by following the tried and true 'social distancing', 'masks when indoors', and 'hand washing', until more people are vaccinated, including the children, and the rate of spread has remained low for more than several months".

It seems that we go through these waves and as soon as they bottom out for a few weeks to a month, then people throw caution to the wind and proclaim "it's over", and then it pops up again with a vengeance.

[Ford_Prefect]

20. There is no consistency to their sources and testing is a bad joke at this point.

I agree they seem to be afraid to tell the ugly truth for fear of offending, so to speak. That's not their job. They are supposed to be the outfit that speaks the unvarnished truth so real decisions can be made. They are charged with providing scientific and medical guidance based on hard fact and research results.

Testing has become scarce. Here you only test if someone shows up with major symptoms so they can be admitted to hospital. We should be testing randomly, across communities and states so we can get an idea how far this is spreading, not just where it has already struck. There should be ONE national standard for this and no BS about whose religion or magic beliefs are offended.

We should also be pursuing mercilessly those who spread false information about the disease, its effects, the cost of contracting it both personally and to one's family or group, and those who insist it is fake.

We cannot allow all those who have put their lives at risk helping contain this to suffer the ignorance of the fools, and those with dangerous political agenda. To deny is treasonous IMO. This is far too dangerous to allow any other interpretation.

TLG and the GQP have damaged us in so many ways and continue to do so. Enough is enough and we have allowed far too much to go unanswered. We are owed an accounting along with a country in which the simple truth can be spoken without fear of terrorist response.

[BumRushDaShow]

32. Well at least here in Philly

they are still advertising free testing (no insurance required) at various locations around the city. The city Health Department also retweeted this from CDC -

Link to tweet

TEXT

CDC
@CDCgov
#DeltaVariant surging in U.S. New data show Delta much more contagious than previous versions of #COVID19. Unvaccinated people: get vaccinated & mask until you do. Everyone in areas of substantial/high transmission should wear a mask, even if vaccinated.
http://cdc.gov/coronavirus
Slide 1 of 5 - Carousel

Delta Variant Update
cdc.gov
3:30 PM · Jul 27, 2021

CDC
@CDCgov

Visit CDC’s COVID Data Tracker to find out if your area has substantial or high COVID-19 transmission: https://bit.ly/2Hw1EZZ.
COVID Data Tracker
CDC’s home for COVID-19 data. Visualizations, graphs, and data in one easy-to-use website.
covid.cdc.gov
3:36 PM · Jul 27, 2021

This is what they should have said back in May rather than - "Ditch the mask! You're home free! It's all over if you just get vaccinated".

[HUAJIAO]

19. CDC seems to be always late to the party.. Have they no foresight whatsoever?

On EDIT:

CDC has been pretty much a disaster in this entire situation.. I mean I have been pretty much able to predict what will happen with their half assed pronouncements and I'm just a drummer with a doctorate. But it's what we joyously call a Doctor of Drum. (OK its a DMA- Doc of Musical Arts. but NOT an MD !)


Jeeshhhhh

[rockfordfile]

21. Wow

"New unpublished data showing that vaccinated people infected with the Delta coronavirus variant can have as much virus as those who are unvaccinated is the primary driver for the CDC's latest mask guidance change-"

Maybe it's time for booster shots?

[Polybius]

22. So will Blue states reinstate their mask mandates?

Come on NY, do the right thing!

[wnylib]

37. Not a chance. Cuomo is still in political hot water.

He will not alienate the opponents of masking. Also, he is praising the state's overall 70% vaccination rate and low infection rate compared to other states.

But ... That vaccination rate sounds a little high to me. There are rural pockets and some larger city pockets where the rate is somewhat lower.

In my area the vaccination rate is only 43%. The infection rate was listed as "substantial" until the end of May. Then it dropped considerably to "low." Days at a time with no new cases. 2 months with no deaths.

Then it started climbing, just a few at a time, with some hospitalizations. Category now has gone from "low" to "moderate." On Monday, the infection number had doubled over the weekend, with new hospitalizations and one death. More cases today. I think that the lull was the end of alpha and the increase is the start of delta - in an area with only 43% vaccinated.

Getting nervous.

[dalton99a]

23. Why the CDC has little credibility left

https://whyy.org/articles/fully-vaccinated-and-maskless-what-does-that-mean-for-safety/
Fully vaccinated and maskless: What does that mean for safety?
By Zoë Read | May 24, 2021

The vast majority of people who are vaccinated and subsequently develop COVID infections tend to have mild or no symptoms. They also tend to have very low viral loads, meaning there’s not a lot of virus in their noses or in their cough secretions, making it difficult to transmit the virus to others.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/27/health/cdc-mask-guidance-vaccinated-people-bn/index.html
CDC updates guidance, recommends vaccinated people wear masks indoors in certain areas
By Jacqueline Howard, CNN
Updated 4:56 PM ET, Tue July 27, 2021

New unpublished data showing that vaccinated people infected with the Delta coronavirus variant can have as much virus as those who are unvaccinated is the primary driver for the CDC's latest mask guidance change, a source involved with the decision process told CNN.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[LisaL]

24. Those are not contradictory.

What was true of the original virus, is no longer true for delta virus.

[littlemissmartypants]

26. Plus, Dr. Walensky has been an unmitigated disaster.

Watching her videos where she presents with less confidence than a kindergarten graduate is truly painful.

Her body language presents as nervously lacking self confidence and as attempting to people please rather than reporting cold hard facts.

She appears to be seeking affirmation when she should be presenting confident gravitas. It's like every sentence she speaks ends in a question mark.

[Maggiemayhem]

31. Sigh

[Skittles]

36. I know

anyone with critical thinking skills could this backtrack coming

[Bayard]

42. I've gone back to masking

Just canceled a hairdresser appointment because she got back to me to say she was not vaccinated.

And I've been cutting my own hair since Covid!

[BumRushDaShow]

43. I haven't stopped double-masking

I rolled out earlier today to mail some bills and pick up some things at the supermarket and although this is a mixed community in terms of age, all of the seniors were masked and about 1/2 of the younger people (including those working in the supermarket) were masked.

Gonna have to plan for cocooning for awhile (my last trip out was almost 2 weeks ago).