The CDC now recommends that people who have been fully vaccinated wear masks indoors, in certain areas.A federal map with color-coding shows the areas where masks should be recommended.Insider Healthcare: The latest news and analysis in healthcare. Loading Click Sign up to receive marketing emails and other offers from Insider.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all fully vaccinated persons wear their masks when outdoors, preferably in areas where COVID-19 is most prevalent.Rochelle Walensky, Director of CDC, stated Tuesday that the Delta variant behaves "uniquely differently" to other viruses and that people who have been vaccinated "may be contagious and transmit the virus to others."However, the CDC doesn't recommend that everyone cover up again.The new guidance from the agency is restricted to areas where COVID-19 transmission has been deemed "substantial or high." This means that more than 50 cases are reported per 100,000 residents in the area over a seven-day period or that the COVID-19 positive rate is greater than 5%.(The only exception to this rule is K-12 schools across the country, where the CDC recommends everyone wear masks to protect children and teachers.The main reason the CDC has changed its guidance is because, in areas with a lot of viruses circulating, there is a high risk of people getting infected even if they are vaccinated. While vaccination can help prevent people from going to the hospital or dying from the disease, they are not an effective shield against COVID-19. People who have been vaccinated can become sick and spread the virus to others.Walensky said, "That's why, even if your vaccine is up to date, we feel it's important that you wear a mask when you're in these areas of high or substantial transmission.""Some people are not able or able to get fully vaccinated. This includes children and people with immunocompromised diseases. This guidance was created to protect these [people].The county-specific mask guidelinesThe CDC's COVID Tracker can help you determine if your location is prone to transmission. It drills down to the county-level.Currently, the US has "substantial" (orange) or "higher" (red), transmission rates. Masks are advised indoors. According to the CDC, masks are not required for people who have been fully vaccinated in the "moderate" and "lower" zones.Here's an example: Search "Dallas County Texas" on Google Maps.According to the CDC's latest guidance, transmission is high enough in Dallas County that masks should be worn indoors. CDC Covid Data TrackerAccording to the CDC, transmission is high in Dallas County. People should wear masks indoors when they go out in public.Only three states in the United States are completely red: Arkansas, Louisiana, and Florida. Missouri and Mississippi are close to being there with a few blue, yellow and orange counties.Even though New York City has more than 65% of its adult population fully vaccinated now, transmission still exists in all five boroughs. This means that all New Yorkers need to keep their heads covered when they go out in public.Walensky stated, "It's not a welcome piece to news that masking will be a part people's lives, who have already beenvaccinated." He also stressed that all medical experts "have universally agreed that this is a matter of urgency when presented with data about the Delta infection in the US.She said that this could have been avoided if there had been more vaccination coverage.
