Some restrictions have been lifted for those who have been vaccinated, according to new guidance announced today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Per CDC, fully vaccinated people are no longer required to wear a mask outdoors and can travel within the United States without getting a Covid-19 test or having to quarantine, although the agency still recommends vaccinated travelers continue to wear a mask in crowds, maintain six feet of distancing and wash their hands frequently. Those who have not been vaccinated should continue to wear a face mask.
The CDC still advises meeting professionals to avoid large gatherings when possible. The organization says planners of in-person events should promote healthy behaviors among attendees and prepare for the possibility of infection.
To date, more than half of U.S. adults—about 140 million—have received at least one dose of vaccine, and more than one-third have been fully vaccinated.
Despite the loosening of restrictions by the CDC, groups are still bound by state and local regulations and the CDC recommends that planners check in with their respective locale’s rules before moving forward.
Several states have already decided to align their mandates with the new rules. California will be following the loosened CDC guidelines, according to a tweet by Gov. Gavin Newsom. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state will adopt the new CDC guidelines, as well; the state previously required mask wearing when unable to social distance, even when vaccinated.
CA will be aligning with the new CDC guidelines.
If you’re fully vaccinated, outdoors, and not in a large crowd — you do not need to wear a mask.
We’ve administered 29+ million vaccines & have the lowest positivity rate and case rate in the nation.
Let’s do this. Vax up, CA!!
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) April 27, 2021
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, after a glance at the updated guidelines prior to a press conference Tuesday, said the “basic principles” appear to be the same as Ohio’s current mandate. DeWine, who recently announced that those who have been fully vaccinated no longer need to quarantine if they’ve been exposed to someone who tested positive, says the state will update its mandate upon closer study if needed to align with the CDC.
Early last month, Gov. DeWine said once the state reports 50 Covid cases per 100,000 people for two consecutive weeks, the mask mandate will be lifted. Last Thursday, the state reported 185.8.
