New CDC mask guidance is coming

New CDC mask guidance is coming

 

The Biden administration is expected to announce, as early as Tuesday, several new recommendations for fully vaccinated people, including “unmasking outdoors,” a federal official tells CNN.   The official said the new recommendations "will provide guidelines for activities fully vaccinated people can resume," suggesting a broader list than simply guidelines on masks. The recommendations will also provide guidelines for infection control and prevention in health care settings.   Current guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention makes it clear masks might not be needed outside. "Masks may not be necessary when you are outside by yourself away from others, or with people who live in your household," it says. But, the CDC does not say anything specific for vaccinated people.   If you're vaccinated, "I'd say for the most part, you don't need to wear a mask outdoors," Dr. Sanjay Gupta said last week on CNN's New Day.   That's because it's known most viral transmission doesn't happen outdoors. A November review in the Journal of Infectious Diseases found that the odds of viral transmission are 18.7 times greater indoors than out, and less than 10% of Covid-19 infections studied occurred outside.   Vaccinated or not, an important factor in deciding to unmask outdoors is the levels of transmission and positivity in your area, Gupta said.   "The real question you need to try to answer is, what is the likelihood I'm going to breathe in someone else's air? That's basically it. The number of people, type of setting and what is the overall viral spread in their community," Gupta said.   Over the weekend, the CDC posted newly updated guidance for summer camps emphasizing that prevention measures such as masks and distance are still necessary considering vaccines are not yet authorized for children of all ages.