US capital reinstates face mask indoors amid Delta variant

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US capital city reinstated the use of face masks indoors on Thursday amid a surge of coronavirus cases with the Delta variant.

Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a news conference that people older than 2 must wear a mask "regardless of their vaccination status."

The mandate will take effect at 5 a.m. Saturday.

Bowser's announcement comes two days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended masks for fully vaccinated people in public, indoor settings in parts of the country that are deemed with "substantial" or "high" levels of transmission.

The CDC also recommended that all teachers and students wear masks this fall, regardless of vaccination status.

The new guidance is an about-face from May when the CDC said fully vaccinated people no longer needed to wear masks or engage in social distancing.

According to the CDC, 83% of new cases in the US are from the Delta variant, and more than 90% of deaths are among the unvaccinated.