The CDC's announcement will not immediately change my personal habits. I will

[Atticus]

continue to wear a mask when shopping and I will avoid indoor gatherings of people who are not known to be vaccinated---and that includes restaurants. I guess you could call it a "wait and see" approach.

From what I have heard and read, at least a part of the motivation for the "unmasking" was the perceived need to "offer a reward" for getting vaccinated. The CDC believes this will "incentivize" unvaccinated people to get vaccinated. I hope they are right, but I have my doubts.

I personally know people who have not been vaccinated and "by God, NO ONE"' is going to force them to inject a "socialist experiment" into their body. Less than 45% of House Republicans have been vaccinated. These people, I believe, will now simply be even more vocal in ridiculing those of us who have been wearing masks for 14 months. Their attitude will switch from "It's a hoax!" to "It's over!"

While I fully believe that my vaccination provides 95-97% protection and even IF I am unlucky enough to get infected, the covid will be asymptomatic or very mild, I just do not want to be responsible for infecting someone, like a young grandchild, who is not vaccinated.

We are in much better shape with Joe in the White House, but I will hope for the best while trying to prepare for the worst. Although our POTUS is no longer a threat, the mindless disciples of "the former guy" still walk among us.

[Hugin]

1. "... a part of the motivation for the 'unmasking' was the perceived need to 'offer a reward'".

Last edited Fri May 14, 2021, 09:56 AM - Edit history (1)

My take on the action, too.

As such, it was more of a political (note the lower case 'p') decision than anything else.

The announcement was made with the expectation that those of us 'doing the correct things' would continue to 'do the correct things'. Probably, a good bet. However, changing the guidelines removed the official backing for those people who were relying on the result of those guidelines to perform their jobs which require them to spend prolonged periods in close company with covidiots.

[jimfields33]

2. I trust the science

They say wear the mask, I wear it. They say no need for mask, I ditch the mask. Scientists wouldn’t say masks weren’t necessary if it wasn’t true. I’ve had both shots plus two weeks last Thursday so I’m good to go.

[Celerity]

12. Agree.

[New Breed Leader]

20. I trust the science. I DO NOT trust individuals.

Particularly antivaxxers who will no doubt lie their way around this new mandate.

[marie999]

23. You can still get the virus though you won't get very sick or not all feel sick.

Are you going to stay away from children?

[jimfields33]

29. Yep. Don't have any. Live in a 55 plus community.

I see kids extremely rarely if ever.

[marie999]

39. Well then, are you staying away from everybody else?

[jimfields33]

40. I try. Can't stand people. All people. The news convinces me more everyday.

[cinematicdiversions]

43. Seriously?

Perhaps you shouldn't watch so much news. It gives one a skewed and ill-informed version of the outside world.

[jimfields33]

49. Maybe. Could be.

[ChubbyStar]

50. It isn't watching the news that makes me avoid people and dislike them it is watching them

Especially while they are driving. I have shoes with higher IQs than most people and I certainly do not let them out in public alone. People are terrifying dumb and dangerous.

[Ms. Toad]

41. Just like they said masks weren't necessary

and actively discouraged people from wearing them when we went though the first dramatic rise in the pandemic - and partway through the second? That kind of unnecessary?

Or may you mean the unnecessary in that masks don't protect the wearer kind of unnecesssary.

You are not trusting the science. You are trusting a government voice - which has been dead wrong on the science of virus transmission at every turn. Includng by failing - for three months into the Biden administration to acknowledge aerosolized transmission (which was a scientifically documented fact a year ago).

[Meowmee]

45. Some scientists

Knowingly said masks would not protect you which is totally false. I will continue to follow what I know is best to protect myself and others until numbers are way down.

[Skittles]

51. LOL

the science is for vaccinated people to not mask but vaccinated people need to mask.....THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO THAT

[beaglelover]

52. Agree.

[Klaralven]

3. From a personal viewpoint, I see very little benefit in changing my mask wearing behavior

Currently, I wear a mask whenever I'm indoors with strangers, and not when I'm outdoors by myself or when I'm with immediate family.

Plus I avoid being within 6' of strangers, wash hands when I get home, and never touch my face when out and about.

I see no upside to modifying these practices, especially since they seem to minimize colds and flu as well.

[Dorian Gray]

42. Yeah

Will I ditch my mask walking in Prospect Park? HELL YES! Will I ditch it going into Key Food or on the Subway? HELL NO!

[spinbaby]

4. I think we're going to start seeing outbreaks in unvaccinated communities

I have a friend working as a respiratory therapist in Florida who says there’s an extremely high rate of covid among undocumented people, largely because they’re afraid to get vaccinated. We need to make to do our best to get vaccination rates as high as possible, not leaving any groups behind.

[Throck]

5. I have both shots and was looking forward to this day.

I am so tired and confused.

If this is science then fine, if this is politics then I will be pissed.

[Ms. Toad]

44. It's politics,

until 70-80% of people are vaccinated, until the community viral load is down, people should be wearing masks.

This is the reality: If you were 95% protected from polio (or 75% protected via J&J) would you wander around in a community in which you were likely to encounter people with poliio - and in which fewer than half of the community members were vaccinated? Then you shouldn't be doing it now.

A 95% chance of not getting COVID is still a 5% chance of getting it. If you are in a community in which you encounter 1000 contagious people (unmasked in a setting likely to promote transmission) that's still 50 encounters that could give you COVID.

On the other hand, if you are in a community in which there are only 100 contagious people that reduces it to 5 encounters that could give you COVID.

For J&J, the chances are worse - it would be 250 in the first environment; 25 in the second.

And - if the personal risk doesn't make the point - as long as you can become infected, you can spread the disease to others. So in the first environment - you'll pass COVID along to the children you encounter, to people who are immune compromised who can't get vaccinated, and to those who either unable to take the vaccine - for whom it is ineffective.

To protect those in our community who can't fend for themselves, we need to continue mask orders. Less because it is risky for those of us who are vaccinated - than because mask orders give us a tool to ensure protection of this vulnerable group.

[Politicub]

6. I'm continuing my habits, too. The unmasking "reward" aspect of this

seems half baked to me. It seems that this move will embolden those people who never planned on getting vaccinated.

If there were a way to differentiate between the vaccinated and unvaccinated, something like this is a nice idea.

So I will keep taking the same precautions. They’re a habit now, and it has been great to not contract the flu or a cold for more than a year.

[LisaL]

9. Exactly.

Who is going to check if someone is vaccinated or not? This will allow un-vaccinated people to go maskless in public and claim they were vaccinated.

[tanyev]

7. Me too. Wait and see.

[LisaL]

8. I will keep on wearing a mask.

NT

[Happy Hoosier]

11. We either trust the scientists or we don't

Do what you want in this regard. After all, you are not risking other people.

I will honor the requests of stores I go to or people I visit. But otherwise intend to follow CDC guidance.

[USALiberal]

13. I'll keep wearing it. nt

[Lars39]

14. TN only has a 36% vaccination rate,

a high percentage of evangelicals and Republicans. And we get a lot of thru traffic going to Florida, etc., and yes, we do have international travelers coming in to Nashville. With underlying conditions, my masking habits are here to stay.

[bullwinkle428]

15. I work for a large, multinational corporation. We've been masking at work,

of course, since the pandemic began. We have an online meeting later this morning, and safety re: Covid is always one of the discussion topics. Will be interesting to see if there will be any modification in the rules following yesterday's CDC statement.

I work in a secure building, so I would be comfortable in going mask-free, knowing that everyone around me has been vaccinated as well. But when I head into Aldi later to pick up my groceries for the week, I might not feel quite so at ease - not nearly as controlled an environment.

[Ferrets are Cool]

16. +1

[MineralMan]

17. Yes. I will continue to mask in public places as well.

I wish I had some sort of button that said, "I am fully vaccinated," though.

[marye50]

18. I'm still going to wear a mask in stores etc

I will be going to a restaurant for the first time since March 2020 but it will only with outside seating.

[Wounded Bear]

19. I'm pretty much in agreement with you...

I have been walking outdoors maskless for a while anyway, and it's not that I don't trust the science. What I don't trust is my fellow humans. I will definitely continue to carry a mask with me when out and about, for when I approach a group of strangers or when I step into a store or other indoor facility.

[Auggie]

21. K&R ...

and me too

[geardaddy]

22. Me too.

As someone on immunosuppressants, I will keep wearing my mask indoors in public.

[global1]

24. I Think This New 'No Mask Needed If Vaccinated' Decision Is Too Premature.....

I believe the CDC should have waited for 2 weeks past the Memorial Day Holiday to make this decision.

Here's why:

We've been here before. We've relaxed some restrictions only to see a surge in cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

We know that Memorial Day is typically considered the start of summer. We know that a lot of people will be traveling, meeting with friends and family, having picnics and BBQ's.

If we can make it 2 weeks past the Memorial Day holiday without any unusual surges - I'd feel better about these new mask relaxations.

So right now - I think it is premature on their part to do this. After the Holiday I believe it would have been better timing. Heck - it's only another couple of weeks.

As for me - when we go shopping - I'll still be wearing my mask. Cause it will even be harder to determine who is vaccinated and who isn't if no one is wearing masks. I also won't be eating at any restaurants in the near future either and I'll still be social distancing.

We've come this far and things are looking up as the U.S. population gets vaccinated and closer and closer to 'herd immunity'.

It would be terrible - if we get all excited by the CDC's new mask decisions - and a post-Memorial Day surge occurs and we have to pull back.

I'm high risk and even though I'm vaccinated - I'm still playing this cautiously - until I assess the situation about 2 weeks after Memorial Day.

[marie999]

25. I am not wearing a mask because I am worried I might get a little sick.

I wear my mask so I don't get sick at all. I have 13 great-grandchildren none old enough to get the vaccine.

[ratchiweenie]

26. My husbands first reaction was "but there was almost no flu this year".

I will definitely wear my mask and wash my hands and use sanitizer during the next flu season. We now know with certainty, it works.

[kimbutgar]

27. I'll be wearing my mask if I go into any store until further notice even though I am vaccinated

Any place with crowds mask on.

[Texin]

28. I feel the same way you do about this, Atticus.

I'm going to be very cautious in my interactions/intersections with people who are unknown to me. I also am leery about going "back to normal", as there is much we have to learn about this virus, and whether we need to have a booster shot of the vaccine (which I expect we will in order to keep up our immunity and vaccinate against the variants).

As with any vaccine, they are not 100% effective. They are highly effective in preventing death from viral infections, but as one who receives a yearly flu shot, I know it's still possible to get very ill from the flu because the vaccines are still formulated by people who are basing the formulation on what they know to be circulating at the time, but they can't be certain what might pop up on the horizon.

[Elessar Zappa]

46. These vaccines are much more effective than any flu shot.

Not only does it almost uniformly prevent death, it also prevents even mild sickness in 90-95% of vaccinated people. So I’ll wear a mask as long as their are mandates but after that the risk is low enough for me to resume normal activities.

[Gary 50]

30. No one has mentioned the reason the CDC changed their advice on mask wearing for fully vaccinated

people. Studies found that vaccinated people who get Covid-19 will not have enough of a viral load to infect others. Before this finding it was said repeatedly that the reason for the masks was to protect others in case the wearer had an undiagnosed or asymptomatic infection. Fully vaccinated people will only get a mild case of the disease and will not be contagious.

[Butterflylady]

31. Thank you for posting

That if you get infected after full vaccination you will not spread it to others. That is good news.

[LisaL]

36. I am not away of any studies proving that.

NT

[LisaL]

35. Which studies?

Links?

[dlk]

32. Since it's possible to contract Covid despite beging vaccinated I'll continue wearing a mask for now

For example, Bill Maher has contracted Covid despite being vaccinated. I live in an area rife with anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers, so at this point, I'm not quite ready to ditch my mask. As much as I believe in science, a wait and see approach seems the safest for the time being.

[LeftInTX]

33. I will wear mine as needed and kinda pretend I didn't "hear this"

However, I hope I'm not "the only one" wearing one...

I may wear one again next flu season. I wonder if it was social distancing or masks that prevented seasonal colds and flu? Did not get sick at all this past year.

But, does wearing a mask lower immunity, so that when you go without one a few years later, you catch every cold bug that is out there? (Kinda the way toddlers get sick)

I do expect to see long term mask wearing by immuno-compromised individuals. Individuals undergoing chemo etc, should probably mask up from now on and do social distancing. We have created a different culture here in the US and there will probably still be a cottage industry for masks.

As a former nurse, I HATED wearing them. We only had to wear them around certain patients and it was really hard to work with a mask on. I was so upset about the mask mandate that I just preferred not to go anywhere, but I eventually learned to "breathe" in my mask. I still can't wear the mask in hot settings and I'm back at the gym and take it off when I'm on the treadmill etc. (I've been fully vaccinated since Feb 10th)

[BobTheSubgenius]

34. You have an insightful, and I believe, correct take on the situation.

Keep protecting oneself and loved ones, because what is that going to hurt? I too discount the "incentive" approach. It may bring some into the fold of vaccination, but the hard core - and there are millions - will be coughing their guts out before they admit that it might not be just the sniffles.

[StarryNite]

37. I'll still be wearing a mask indoors in public places for now.

[RobinA]

38. Nor Mine

I will continue to wear a mask if forced. Otherwise, no mask. The ploy was back in January when they told us we had to wear a mask even when vaccinated. Pffftt. I work in a hospital, so I have to wear one at work. Otherwise? No mask unless a store that is one of a kind that I HAVE to go to insists. That will probably be my pet food store.

[Meowmee]

47. Agree

It’s a huge mistake on the part of the cdc. It wont encourage vaccination. People will lie and go unmasked.

“Although our POTUS is no longer a threat, the mindless disciples of "the former guy" still walk among us.”

Well said. I still worry if he will become a threat again. But on some level he still is because so many are still supporting him.

[Midnight Writer]

48. Me, too. Wearing a mask is such a small thing for me, plus I see no downside...

except for dealing with MAGAs who demand to know why I am wearing a mask.

I intend to keep washing my hands, as well.