Coronavirus US: is it necessary to wear mask after the vaccine according to Biden?

A total of 232,407,669 doses of covid-19 vaccines have now been administered in the United States. Nearly 29% of the adult population is fully vaccinated – 69% of those are aged 65 or over according to the most recent data issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

New infections also saw their biggest drop last week since February falling by 16% to about 409,000. The CDC announced on Tuesday that mask rule for the fully vaccinated would be relaxed noting that the risk of infection outdoors was now significantly less permitting changes to their guidance. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said recent studies point to more than 90% of the observed infections happening at indoor settings.

CDC relaxes the use of face masks for fully vaccinated

after the CDC released its new guidance on Tuesday President Biden addressed reporters outside the White House saying “Beginning today, gathering with a group of friends, in a park, going for a picnic. As long as you are vaccinated and outdoors, you can do it without wearing a mask.” He added “The bottom line is clear. If you are vaccinated you can do more things, more safely both outdoors as well as indoors.”

For the unvaccinated there was good news, they too no longer need to wear a mask to go hiking, cycling or running alone or with a household member. However, the CDC is still advocating that they should wear masks at outdoor gatherings that include other unvaccinated people not part of their household. They also should keep using masks at outdoor restaurants whereas the fully vaccinated can go maskless.

“Today, I hope, is a day when we can take another step back to the normalcy of before,” Dr. Walensky said.

Due to the risk of transmission to the unvaccinated the CDC still recommends that the fully vaccinated and unvaccinated should keep wearing masks at crowded outdoor events such as concerts or sporting events. As well as indoors with people who are not members of their household. This includes indoor public places, such as hair salons, restaurants, shopping centers, museums and movie theaters.

And masks also need to be worn while travelling (plane, bus, train... etc.) both within the United States or on outward journeys, at airports and stations. Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci has previously suggested that there is a possibility that public health officials could continue to recommend wearing face masks well into next year.

Mask mandates in the US

Currently, 26 US states plus the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico have a mask mandate in place.

The states include: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, US Virgin Islands, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.