CDC says fully vaccinated Americans no longer need masks indoors or outdoors in most cases [View all]
Source: Washington Post
Americans who are fully vaccinated can go without masks or physical distancing in most cases, even when they are indoors or in large groups, federal officials said Thursday, paving the way for a full reopening of society. The change represents a huge shift symbolically and practically for pandemic-weary Americans, millions of whom have lived with the restrictions for more than a year. A growing number have complained they cannot do more even after being fully vaccinated and criticized the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of being overly cautious. More than 117 million Americans are now fully vaccinated, or about 35 percent of the population.
CDC officials cited a growing body of real-world evidence demonstrating the efficacy of the coronavirus vaccines and noted the shots offer protection even against more contagious variants circulating in the United States. They said they also factored in the country’s declining cases, and the rarity of breakthrough infections in people who are fully vaccinated. Nonetheless, officials cautioned the guidelines could change again if the pandemic should worsen. The relaxation of restrictions does not apply to airplanes or health-care settings. Officials also noted that some occupational settings may still require masks. They urged those who are immune-compromised to speak with their doctors before giving up their masks.
The guidance means that millions of fully vaccinated Americans can begin returning to pre-pandemic activities, including school and work, that they have largely eschewed since last March. The country is seeing the lowest number of new daily cases it has had in eight months, and deaths have decreased from a high of about 3,000 per day in January to about 600 per day now, as many of the most vulnerable, including the elderly, have been inoculated.
“This is a day that I think will be marked as a true turning point in the pandemic in the United States in that we have three vaccines that are highly effective, we have enough vaccines for everyone in our country who’s 12 years and older to get vaccinated who wants it, and we’re being told that it is safe to roll back a number of the measures that we’ve come to rely on for controlling this pandemic,” said Richard Besser, former acting director of the CDC and president and chief executive of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “The idea that people who are fully vaccinated can take off their masks, can go outside, can go inside, be around people and not have to worry about covid anymore, that’s absolutely huge,” Besser said.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/05/13/cdc-says-fully-vaccinated-americans-no-longer-need-masks-indoors-or-outdoors-most-cases/
Note there are still all kinds of "caveats" to this.
They are getting yanked back and forth and it is just a shame.
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