- With the rapid spread of the delta variant and low vaccination rates in many areas, the CDC is recommending a return to mask wearing for vaccinated people.
- Many parts of the country have substantial or high transmission, particularly in the South and some parts of the West.
- Fully vaccinated people who do contract the virus have a very low risk of severe illness, hospitalization, or death. But they can spread the disease to others.
On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance on mask wearing. The agency now recommends that fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors if they are in an area with substantial or high community transmission of the coronavirus.
This is to help prevent the spread of the highly transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus and to protect others, said CDC Director
Many parts of the country have substantial or high transmission, particularly in the South and some parts of the West. The CDC data tracker shows community transmission levels for each county.
The CDC also recommends that everyone in K-12 schools wear a mask indoors, including teachers, students, and visitors, regardless of their vaccination status.
Currently, the COVID-19 vaccines are only approved in the United States for people 12 years and older, leaving younger children unprotected against the virus.
With proper prevention strategies in place, such as masking, physical distancing, and improved ventilation, “children should return to full-time in-person learning in the fall,” said Walensky.
She added that the CDC’s recommendations for unvaccinated people remains the same — they should get vaccinated as soon as possible, and continue masking indoors until they are fully vaccinated.
“This is not a decision that the CDC has made lightly. This weighs heavily on me,” said Walensky. “I know 18 months through this pandemic, not only are people tired, they’re frustrated.”
But she said the updated guidance is based on new science about the coronavirus.
“Information on the delta variant from several states and other countries indicates that on rare occasions, some vaccinated people infected with the delta variant after vaccination may be contagious and spread the virus to others,” said Walensky.
Fully vaccinated people who do contract the virus have a very low risk of severe illness, hospitalization, or death.
But rare breakthrough infections, as they are called, may allow vaccinated people to pass the virus on to others, including unvaccinated people and those who are immunocompromised.
However, the CDC believes that “vaccinated individuals continue to represent a very small amount of transmission occurring around the country,” said Walensky.
Source: healthline