CDC says Americans can now go unmasked in many parts of the country [View all]

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NPR

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday it is relaxing its mask guidance for communities where hospitals aren't under high strain. Under the new guidance, nearly 70% of the U.S. population lives in areas considered to be low or medium risk and residents there are advised they can go indoors without masks. The CDC recommends continued mask use in communities where serious cases of COVID-19 are straining the health system.

The move to ease masking guidance, federal officials say, reflects current conditions at this phase of the pandemic, including widespread immunity through vaccination and prior infection as well as better access to testing and treatments. "We want to give people a break from things like mask-wearing," said CDC director Rochelle Walensky at a press briefing Friday, adding that new risk guidelines that the agency is implementing will help people know when to reach for masks again if conditions warrant.

Health officials emphasized that people should still wear masks if they wish or if they are personally at high risk. And regardless of local conditions, they should mask if they have COVID-19 symptoms, a positive test or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.As part of the change, the CDC is dropping its recommendation for universal school masking and instead will recommend masking only in communities at a high level of risk.

The new guidelines for assessing community risk, released Friday, weigh hospitalizations for COVID-19 and the proportion of beds occupied by COVID-19 patients in local hospitals more heavily than rates of new infections alone. "As the virus continues to circulate in our communities, we must focus our metrics beyond just cases in the community and direct our efforts toward protecting people at high risk for severe illness and preventing COVID 19 from overwhelming our hospitals and our health care system," said Walensky.

Read more: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/02/25/1082249002/cdc-says-americans-can-now-go-unmasked-in-many-parts-of-the-country

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Now official.

This appears to be a link to the simplified guidance - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html

ETA (from the CDC link) -

When to Wear a Mask or Respirator

Layered prevention strategies — like staying up to date on vaccines and wearing masks — can help prevent severe illness and reduce the potential for strain on the healthcare system. Wear a mask with the best fit, protection, and comfort for you.

Know the COVID-19 Community Level where you live

COVID-19 Community Levels are a tool to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data.

Low

Wear a mask based on your personal preference, informed by your personal level of risk

Medium

If you are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness
Talk to your healthcare provider about additional precautions, such as wearing masks or respirators indoors in public

If you live with or have social contact with someone at high risk for severe illness, consider testing yourself for infection before you get together and wearing a mask when indoors with them.

High

Wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status or individual risk (including in K-12 schools and other community settings)

If you are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness
Wear a mask or respirator that provides you with greater protection