Tuesday's recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was that people who have been fully vaccinated wear masks indoors in areas with high Covid-19 transmission rates. This fall, the agency recommends that children wear masks to school. Officials from the federal health department still believe that only a small percentage of people are at risk. Some vaccinated individuals could still be transmitting the virus to others, even though they may have higher levels than previously thought. Rochelle Walensky, Director of CDC, stated that the pandemic continues and poses a serious threat for all Americans' health. "Today we have new science regarding the delta variant, which requires us to update our guidance on what you can do once you are fully vaccinated." This updated guidance is coming ahead of the fall season when the highly contagious Delta variant will cause a surge in coronavirus cases. Many large employers are planning to send workers back to work. The CDC stated that fully vaccinated individuals don't have to wear masks indoors or out. The CDC recommends that fully vaccinated individuals wear masks indoors and in public settings where there is high risk of spreading the delta variant. Walensky stated that this includes schools. The CDC recommends that all grade school students wear masks indoors. This includes teachers, staff, students, and visitors, regardless if they have been vaccinated. Walensky stated that new data has shown the delta variant behaves "uniquely different from previous strains of virus." This means that people who have been vaccinated may be susceptible to spreading the virus to others. Read more: Americans will require masks indoors in response to a surge in delta Covid cases. Health experts are concerned that delta, the predominant form of the disease, is now affecting states with low vaccination rates. These states will now be forced to reinstate mask rules, capacity limits, and other public health measures they have largely abandoned in recent months.Dr. Anthony Fauci, White House chief medical advisor, stated Sunday that the CDC was looking at revising mask guidance for vaccinated Americans. He said it was "under active evaluation." It's a dynamic environment. It's still a work-in-progress, it evolves as in many other areas of pandemic," Fauci, who is also director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseasess, said to CNN. "You have to examine the data."The CDC's guidance does not constitute a recommendation. It is up to the states and local officials to decide whether or not to reintroduce mask rules for specific people. Even before Tuesday's CDC guidance, many regions had already reintroduced mask advisories and mandates as Covid cases increased again. Walensky stated that the majority of deaths and hospitalizations in the U.S. occur among people who have not been vaccinated. She cited vaccines that she believes are effective in protecting against serious illness and death. She said, "But the biggest concern is that there might be a new variant of the virus that emerges. We're only a few mutations away from where it could possibly evade our vaccines." President Joe Biden stated that the CDC's revised guidance was essential to defeat the virus and that he would outline "next steps” to ensure more Americans are vaccinated by Thursday. Although most Americans are currently vaccinated, there are still too many who aren't. He stated that although we have seen an increase of vaccinations in the last days, there is still much to be done. "More vaccinations in the most affected areas by the Delta variant and more mask wear will allow us to avoid the lockdowns, shut downs, school closings, and disruptions that we experienced in 2020."
