The Biden administration on Tuesday said fully vaccinated people can ditch their COVID-19 masks outdoors but should keep them on at sporting events and around crowds.
“Over the past year, we have spent a lot of time telling Americans what they cannot do, what they should not do. Today, I’m going to tell you some of the things you can do if you are fully vaccinated,” said Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
She said vaccinated persons don’t need to wear masks if they’re sitting with people from other households at outdoor restaurant tables. They can also enjoy small outdoor gatherings with a mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated persons and don’t need to cover their faces if they’re walking, jogging or biking alone or with members of their household.
However, the CDC said all people should continue to wear masks at large events, such as live performances or baseball games, citing the share of people who remain unvaccinated as the virus pings around the country at a rate of 55,000 known infections per day.
“We will continue to recommend this until widespread vaccination is achieved,” Dr. Walensky said.
A person is considered fully vaccinated 14 days after receiving the single-shot vaccine from Johnson & Johnson or the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines.
President Biden faces intense pressure to outline a path to normalcy for the pandemic-weary public as the vaccination campaign unfolds. More than half of U.S. adults have received at least one dose of a vaccine as officials push for widespread immunity.
Dr. Walensky said it decided to update its guidance due to progress in the rollout and the fact transmission is far more likely indoors than outdoors.
Tuesday’s changes amounted to incremental moves that will liberate some but risk angering those who say outdoor masking is performative and bigger rewards are needed to incentivize vaccination.
Some states, which can issue binding rules, have plowed ahead the CDC in relaxing rules.
Texas, for one, lifted its public mask mandate entirely and welcomed a capacity crowd for baseball’s Opening Day in Arlington this month.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship recently held a mask-optional event in a packed indoor arena in Jacksonville, Florida. UFC president Dana White said it is “time to get back to normal.”
Masks became ubiquitous toward the start of the global pandemic last year, as federal officials recognized the extent of the asymptomatic transmission of the coronavirus. But they swiftly became a symbol of the political fights around government rules designed to control the virus.
Republican lawmakers have accused U.S. officials of being overly cautious in requiring masks and say relaxing rules will get more people to roll up their sleeves.
Sen. Roger Marshall, Kansas Republican, issued a public service announcement Tuesday that urges people to get vaccinated “so we can throw away our masks and live life as free as we did before.”
The CDC previously said people who are fully vaccinated can gather with other vaccinated persons for a small indoor gathering, like a dinner party.
It also said vaccinated people could gather inside with unvaccinated persons from another household who are at low risk of developing severe COVID-19. And it loosened rules on travel for vaccinated persons.
The CDC said it remains worried about the level of transmission indoors so people should continue to wear masks at places like houses of worship or gyms.
