The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced updated guidelines for fully vaccinated Americans on Tuesday.
- People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after they’ve received their second dose of a two-shot COVID-19 vaccine or two weeks after a one-dose vaccine.
Can you wear a mask outdoors?
The CDC said that fully vaccinated Americans don’t need to wear masks outside when they’re engaging in the following activities:
- Walking
- Jogging
- Biking
- Eating at an outdoor restaurant with friends
- Attending a small outdoor gathering with other fully vaccinated people or a mix of unvaccinated and vaccinated people.
When should you wear a mask?
But there’s a catch — crowded outdoor settings can still pose a risk, according to The Washington Post. So people — both vaccinated and unvaccinated — should wear masks at these spots, per Axios:
- Sporting events
- Live performances
- Parades
- Barbershop
- Hair salons
- Movie theaters
- Houses of worship,
The new CDC guidance said unvaccinated people “may go without masks when walking, jogging or biking outdoors with household members,” per The Washington Post.
This chart from BuzzFeed News has a good breakdown of what you can and cannot do.
New COVID-19 guidelines were expected:
- The CDC guidelines are considered “interim public health recommendations” that will give fully vaccinated people some idea about what activities they can participate in now that they’re protected against the coronavirus.
- Per CBS News, the new guidelines include “recommendations related to health care settings and whether to wear masks outdoors.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief White House medical adviser on the coronavirus, told CNN earlier this week that changes may be coming soon for fully vaccinated Americans.
- The CDC “will be coming out with updating their guidelines of what people who are vaccinated can do and even some who are not vaccinated,” Fauci said.
How many people are fully vaccinated?
About 95 million Americans have been fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s about 28.9% of the total population, the CDC said.
What does President Biden think of the changes?
President Joe Biden is set to give a speech Tuesday that will explain these changes for the country, as I wrote for the Deseret News. The wording of the speech is still being worked on, though, according to CNN. The changes come as Biden is scheduled to address both sessions of Congress this week.