CDC's new approach to covid means most Americans can go without masks [View all]

[WhiskeyGrinder]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/02/25/cdc-mask-guidance-changed-metrics/

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased mask recommendations for the vast majority of the country Friday under a new framework to monitor the coronavirus that immediately affects about 70 percent of Americans — a process that state and local officials had already begun amid demands for a return to normalcy.

The new guidelines, which took effect Friday, reflect the administration’s view that the United States has entered a different, potentially less dangerous phase of the pandemic. The change follows a relaxation of restrictions by most Democratic governors responding to nosediving case counts and public pressure, and well after most Republican governors. CDC officials said the shift reflects the reality that after more than two years of living with the virus, most communities have greater protection against severe disease because of widespread immunity gained from both vaccinations and infections, as well as the increased availability of treatments, testing and higher-quality masks.

(snip)

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said the new guidelines, which classify the country into low, medium and high levels of disease, provide individuals with an understanding of what precautions they should consider based on the level of disease in their community, their underlying risk, and their own risk tolerance.

(snip)
Under the approach, many parts of the country that were previously considered to have high or substantial levels of the virus are now reclassified as having low to medium levels of covid-19 disease. Consumers can find out whether they face low, medium or high disease levels in their area by checking a new “county check tool” online at CDC.gov or by calling 800-232-4636.

That's one way to solve it, I suppose.