CDC lifts mask and social distancing guidelines for those who are fully vaccinated

[MrPotatoTed]

CDC announced today they are lifting mask and social distancing guidelines for those who are fully vaccinated, for most situations -- including indoor gatherings of any size.

There are some exceptions -- and as a hospital spokesman, I need to tell you that the CDC still strongly recommends wearing masks in healthcare settings, so don't be surprised if your local hospital/clinic requires you to.  But generally speaking, if you are fully vaccinated, you no longer have to wear masks in most places in the US.

This is a major accomplishment, many thanks to all of my fellow vaccine-getters!

[MrPotatoTed]

1 minute ago, Patine said:

Canada has a different health authority who has not made such an announcement, so @Edouardand I don't seem so fortunate - yet.

I intentionally added "in the US" at the end there, specifically for you.  ;c)

[Edouard]

6 minutes ago, Patine said:

Canada has a different health authority who has not made such an announcement, so @Edouardand I don't seem so fortunate - yet.

Canada is the most cautious country I know about covid

Seriously they even urged Biden to close borders with Mexico

Edited May 13, 2021 by Edouard

[MrPotatoTed]

I wasn’t arguing with you, I was acknowledging you.  I don’t know where your comment just came from.

[pilight]

I posted this in the general forum since it's not really political

[MrPotatoTed]

3 minutes ago, Patine said:

 

Interestingly, here in Canada, in almost a week since this CDC announcement, we're getting a much more cautious and even grim picture, warning that vaccination effectiveness and these mutant strains and such have not been adequately accounted for and analyzed. Maybe the CDC acted in haste, and Americans should still CHOOSE the side of caution and continue to take these precautions for a while, VOLUNTARILY.

I've actually noticed that so far despite the CDC greenlight, all stores and restaurants I go to still have signs up saying you have to wear your mask.  I expect that to change over the next week or two, but (much like with the Johnson and Johnson vaccine pause) the CDC makes these major announcements...which I assume are well founded in science...but without actually coordinating anything with anybody.  So they make the announcement, and then everyone else has to catch up and say "Oh, ok, so...uh...here's what we're going to do about that."  

I work on a 400 acre medical campus.  The new CDC guidelines are clear that people should wear masks in the hospital still...but what about the other buildings on our campus.  Should the people in the engineering building wear a mask?  No medical care is provided there, of course...and engineers who work anywhere else don't have to wear masks (generally speakin)...so, no, right?

Except if an engineer is sick, and infects the other engineers, then systems start shutting down at the hospital because our engineers aren't there to maintain them.

So we've decided to keep the mask ban in place for all of our buildings, even the ones where there is no medical care for now.  Might change tomorrow though, because god knows what the CDC will announce next.