Mask Wearing Returns For Indoor Activities

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced today revised guidance for COVID-19 vaccinated people's activities.

'Based on what we know about COVID-19 vaccines, people who have been fully vaccinated can do things that they had stopped doing because of the pandemic,' says the CDC.

However, if you have a health condition or are taking medications that weaken your immune system, you may NOT be protected even if you are fully vaccinated.

The following CDC recommendations can help you make decisions about daily activities after you are fully vaccinated:

• If you are fully vaccinated, you can participate in many of the activities that you did before the pandemic.
• To maximize protection from the SARS-CoV-2 virus Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission.
• Wearing a mask is most important if you have a weakened immune system or if, because of your age or an underlying medical condition, you are at increased risk for severe disease, or if someone in your household has a weakened immune system, is at increased risk for severe disease, or is unvaccinated. If this applies to you or your household, you might choose to wear a mask regardless of the level of transmission in your area.
• You should continue to wear a mask where required by local laws, rules, regulations, or local guidance.

This guidance applies to COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized for emergency use by the U.S. FDA: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson Janssen COVID-19 vaccines.  This guidance can also be applied to COVID-19 vaccines that have been listed for emergency use by the World Health Organization.

These consumer recommendations are not intended for healthcare settings.