CDC updates guidelines, calls for vaccinated people to mask up

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidelines suggesting that people who are vaccinated against Covid-19 wear masks in public as well as indoor areas where the rate of the disease is high. The CDC also stated that teachers, staffers, and students should wear masks in school, despite being vaccinated.

Similar recommendations for schools were issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics earlier this month. The agency had announced in May that vaccinated people didn't need to wear masks in most situations. However, at the time of this announcement, the number of cases was falling in the country.

Seeing the current situation, the May announcement saw reversal as the highly contagious Delta variant is spreading across the country with rising cases in many areas, mainly in places where vaccination rates are low.

It is to be noted that Covid-19 vaccines are strongly effective against serious cases of coronavirus disease and death, but they are not completely flawless and there can be chances of some people getting infected with the virus even though fully vaccinated.

Data from the U.S. and some other countries indicates that in some cases, vaccinated people can get infected and pass the virus to others, as stated by Rochelle Walensky, the CDC Director.

Some places such as Los Angeles County have already reinstituted mask mandates for everyone, regardless of people’s vaccination status.

The CDC did not quickly reinstate the mask mandates as it was concerned about appearing to change its mind on the issue very soon, as stated by a senior official at Biden administration. Masks have been an issue of discussion since the beginning of the pandemic, and people have been frustrated by the continuously shifting guidelines.

Experts state that the latest modification is important amid the Delta upsurge. However, the recommendations aren’t mandates and it is up to the state and local governments to execute and impose the masking rules. At this time in the pandemic, when the end was anticipated, telling people to put back masks might be a challenge.

Source Credits:

https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/27/22595945/cdc-mask-recommendations-vaccinated-delta