The CDC Said Most People In The Country Can Stop Using Face Masks To Protect Against COVID
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Masks are no longer necessary in most counties in the US — including in indoor public places and schools — according to new recommendations released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Under the latest guidelines, the CDC will be shifting focus to the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and hospital capacity in counties throughout the US, rather than the number and rate of new infections, officials said.
That shift will mean that more than half of the country, except people with underlying health conditions, can drop face mask mandates that have come to dominate public spaces for nearly two years due to the pandemic, CDC officials said.
People are still welcome to wear a mask in public settings if they feel safer, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said, but the new recommendations are expected to allow most communities to significantly relax their mask requirements.
"If you feel more comfortable wearing a mask, feel free to do so," Walensky said. "The intention of this community guidance is to look at severe disease and people who are coming into the hospital."
