US CDC further loosens masks guidance for vaccinated people

By Michael Hernandnez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Individuals who are fully vaccinated do not need to don a face covering when indoors with others in most cases, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Thursday.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said individuals who meet the criteria to be considered fully vaccinated can now "start doing the things that you had stopped doing before because of the pandemic."

"The continued downward trajectory of cases the scientific data on the performance of our vaccines, and our understanding of how the virus spreads that moment has come for those who are fully vaccinated," she told reporters at a White House briefing.

"Anyone who is fully vaccinated can participate in indoor and outdoor activities, large or small, without wearing a mask or physical distancing," said Walensky.

Individuals who have a compromised immune system will want to consult with their doctors on mask wearing, she added.

An individual is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after they receive their final dose. Currently, the bulk of the US vaccines being administered require two separate doses spread out weeks apart.

The CDC is continuing to require masks on public transportation, including flights, but Walensky said the agency would continue to update its guidance as additional data becomes available.

The decision to take a major step in the US's return to greater normalcy comes as the country continues to see dips in the number of COVID-19 infections with seven-day averages continuing to fall since mid April.

Nearly 60% of adults have received at least one vaccine dose, and over 35% of the wider population has been fully vaccinated, according to CDC data.