The CDC has declared that wholly vaccinated Americans can prefer not to wear a mask when outdoors.
Those who have received all the required jabs can ditch masks, says US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The new guideline adds that if they are alone or in a small group of vaccinated people, wearing face-covering.
But the CDC left in its place its guidance to put on a mask indoors or in crowded venues or settings.
Over 95 million Americans have been vaccinated so far.
Following the CDC statement, President Joe Biden praised the new guidance as remarkable progress on Tuesday.
The president also asked people who have not yet taken the jab to do so while calling it a patriotic act.
Vaccines are about saving lives but also the lives of people around you. Moreover, it is also about helping us get back closer to more everyday living.
Health officials gave the new safety guidelines at Tuesday’s White House COVID task briefing.
Small and medium-sized meetings for people who are outside and vaccinated can securely be done without a mask. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, CDC director, said, and this includes dining and exercising outdoors.
She said that determining whether to wear a mask in larger outdoor gatherings would depend on other concerns. Factors like how well-ventilated the venue is and how much space is left between people.
These guidelines are for the people fully vaccinated, which means two weeks after a person’s final jab.
Low risks but the infection still possible
Although evidence suggests that COVID infections can happen outdoors, the risks of transmissions are shallow. Early studies also indicate that fully vaccinated people are less likely to spread the virus.
Dr. Walensky said mask guidance for the fully vaccinated was intended to protect primarily those who aren’t vaccinated.
She said that they really want unvaccinated people to limit their interactions with people. Moreover, to go back to the basic principles of spacing and increased vaccination, she added.
Health officials have noted that the case count in the US is stabilizing as the vaccinations continue to grow.
According to CDC, nearly 141 million Americans have received at least one dose of the vaccine as of 26th April. The number sums up to 42% of the total American population.
