CDC: Vaccinated People Can Safely Go Outdoors Unmasked
WASHINGTON – People who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can safely go outside without a mask, though they should limit the number of people they congregate with, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday.
Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers, announced the new guidance during a White House press conference Tuesday.
“The release of these new guidelines is a first step at helping fully vaccinated Americans resume what they had stopped doing because of the pandemic, at low risk to themselves, while being mindful of the potential risk of transmitting the virus to others,” Walensky said.
On Monday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to the president, said the risk of infection outdoors is “really minimum,” and less so for those who have received their vaccines.
People are considered fully vaccinated by the CDC two weeks after the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines or two weeks after the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Nearly 230 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine have been administered, and nearly 54% of the U.S. adult population have received at least one of their shots, according to the CDC.
The new guidance states that fully vaccinated people do not need to wear masks during small, outdoor gatherings even if there’s a mixture of vaccinated and unvaccinated people.
Dining at an outdoor restaurant with friends from multiple households is also considered a safe activity for vaccinated people to do without a mask.
However, it goes on to say that vaccinated people should continue to wear masks when riding public transportation, watchin a film in a movie theater, atttending a full capacity service in a house of worship, or attending a concert, parade or sporting event.
“CDC cannot provide the specific risk level for every activity in every community, so it is important to consider your own personal situation and the risk to you, your family and your community before venturing out without a mask,” CDC director Rochelle Walensky said.
