CDC: Fully vaccinated can drop masks
President Biden declares "today is a great day in America" because of the "extraordinary success" of USA vaccination program. India continues to struggle.
“If you have gotten vaccinated, you’ve earned the right to greet others with a smile,” said President Biden at the White House Thursday afternoon.
“So many empty chairs. Get vaccinated or wear a mask until you. The choice is yours,” said Biden. He also asked people to treat others with kindness and respect and to not see masks as political.
The latest CDC guidance update is succinct:
If you are fully vaccinated, you can resume activities that you did prior to the pandemic.
Nearly all fully vaccinated people in the United States can skip face coverings — in almost any setting, because of the science shows that they are safe from COVID-19, said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky. She defended against a question suggesting this change stemmed from recent public criticism that the previous recommendation to keep wearing masks in many situations.
Masks are still required for travel, although Walensky indicated that travel and other CDC guidance will be reviewed now. CDC guidelines do not replace local or other regulations, so individual businesses, healthcare sites, and other entities may keep requiring masks.
Walensky cited as rationale for the guidelines change:
The average number of new COVID-19 cases has dropped by 1/3rd in the past two weeks.
There is enough vaccine for every person in the USA.
FDA authorization of the Pfizer vaccine for kids 12-15 increases the percentage of people who can be vaccinated in each community.
Newly published studies add convincingly to previous data showing the current vaccines provide significant protection against variant strains and also prevent transmission of the COVID-19 virus.
This chart shows the new case rate since April 15, when vaccines became widely available in the United States.
The change in the USA’s COVID-19 situation since January is striking.
The average daily death toll is now 586, compared with 3,400 in January. The 7-day rolling average has not been this low since the beginning of April 2020, according to CDC data.
The new case rate is down in every state except Arkansas, Louisiana and New Mexico.
And in other news, a group of scientists published a paper in the journal Science that says the pandemic demands a “paradigm shift” in workplace ventilation and air quality.
The head of the nation’s second largest teachers’ union says schools should be open for five days a week, in-person by Fall.
Meanwhile, the global COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. This chart puts the data in perspective against a few other countries.
Do you have an oversupply of masks? What will you do with them? Here is one idea.
This is really amazing news!