CDC Announces Vaccinated Americans No Longer Need to Wear Masks In Most Indoor Settings

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Rochelle Walensky said Thursday that Americans vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus are no longer recommended to wear masks outdoors in crowds and in most indoor settings. “If you are fully vaccinated, you are protected, and you can start doing the things that you stopped doing because of the pandemic," Walensky said. The new guidance still recommends wearing masks in crowded indoor settings like buses, planes and hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters, but wearing masks in schools or offices is not required. This comes as approximately 154 million Americans, or 46% of the population, have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and more than 117 million people are fully vaccinated. On average, the U.S. saw fewer than 40,000 new confirmed virus cases daily over the past week, a 21% improvement compared to the previous week, according to Axios. The story received coverage from across the political spectrum. Coverage from the right tended to speculate about the loosened restrictions' potential to accelerate reopening workplaces, schools and other businesses. Some coverage from the left tended to highlight the Biden administration's efforts to vaccinate Americans.