C.D.C. Announces Fully Vaccinated People No Longer Have To Wear Masks In Most Places
Only at hospitals, on public transit, and when traveling
In a press conference on Thursday, May 13, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said that Americans who are fully vaccinated (meaning it has been two weeks after their last dose) no longer have to wear face masks in most situations.
This applies to almost all indoor and outdoor settings, no matter the size or amount of people, the New York Times reported.
“Anyone who is fully vaccinated can participate in indoor and outdoor activities large or small without wearing a mask or social distancing,” C.D.C. Director Rochelle Walensky said at the conference. “If you are fully vaccinated, you can start doing the things that you have stopped doing because of the pandemic.”
UPDATE: If you are fully vaccinated against #COVID19, you can resume activities without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal or territorial laws, incl. local business and workplace guidance. More: https://t.co/FJMon7WlFO
— CDC (@CDCgov) May 13, 2021
Of course, that is the case for “most places.” Here is where you still must wear one (and social distance) according to the C.D.C.:
- Doctors’ offices
- Hospitals
- Long-term care facilities
- Nursing homes
- Public transportation (buses, planes, trains, etc.)
- Transit hubs (airports, bus stations, etc.)
- Prisions/jails
- Homeless shelters
The CDC is still requiring fully vaccinated people to wear masks while traveling but not at indoor and outdoor gatherings, large or small.
Essentially, fully vaccinated people have to wear masks on airplanes but not at large indoor concerts, whenever they resume.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) May 13, 2021
The C.D.C. also said vaccinated individuals must continue to follow local/state governance or individual business rules relating to mask wearing. It appears that fully vaccinated New Yorkers are still required to wear masks indoors as per the state mandate, but since Governor Cuomo adopted the CDC’s last guidance on the subject he will likely announce new policies soon.
According to the Times, only about one-third of the U.S. (about 117.6 million people) have been fully vaccinated thus far.
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