The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday that people who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 no longer need to wear masks or physically distance — whether indoors or outdoors in most circumstances.
“We have all longed for this moment when we can get back to some sense of normalcy,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a media briefing Thursday afternoon.
“Based on the continuing downward trajectory of cases, the scientific data on the performance of our vaccines, and our understanding of how the virus spreads,” Walensky said, “that moment has come for those who are fully vaccinated.”
President Joe Biden called the move a “great milestone” during remarks at the White House Thursday, adding that it was “made possible by the extraordinary success we’ve had in vaccinating so many Americans, so quickly.”
More than 35 percent of the population has now been fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.
Outside experts in infectious disease overwhelmingly hailed the CDC’s move to lift masking recommendations for vaccinated Americans.
“Today marks a true turning point in the pandemic,” said Dr. Richard Besser, president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting CDC director. “If you’re fully vaccinated, you are good to go. That’s huge.”
“It’s exactly what we ought to be doing right now,” said Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. “I think it follows the best science.”
Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease physician with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said the move is “long overdue.”
“Our goal was to tame this virus, to defang and to remove its ability to threaten hospitals,” Adalja said. “I think we’ve accomplished that in the United States.”
The new recommendations come more than a year after the CDC first recommended that Americans should wear masks to protect against spreading or catching the coronavirus. At that time, the U.S. was logging more than 1,000 Covid-19 deaths a day.
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This not the first time this happened . 7 Fully vaccinated Staff members of the NY Yankees tested positive for Covid-19 .
6 of the 7 were Asymptomatic .
This the same CDC under pressure to get kids back in school said 3 feet distance in school is ok.
This the same CDC that said only the N95 mask offer a high protection for Covid and because the medical field pushed back and of shortage said “Well “you can wear pretty much anything as long as it covers your.mouth and nose
I am in the U.S. that wasn’t the point but……..
>This new order is for the US only, not for Antigua. If simply means that Americas who have both theri first and second vaccination do not need to sear masks, inside or out, and do not need to social distance. This is a big leap forward. The vaccine is working. Get vaccinated as soon as possible, please, so this plan can open up again.
Have you read what is going on in Seychelles. They are the most vaccinated country in the world and have are having a spike. They also have people that were vaccinated in the hospital, what does that tell you?
The mass gathering that they planning here for carnival will be a big mistake. Seychelles probably thought they were safe because they had the highest percentage of vaccinated persons.
It is all this misinformation that coming out of those organisations that causing vaccine hesitancy.
Sadly, Carnival needs to be cancelled for 2021. There is no way we could go forward with it at this time.
Well said.
I have serious issues with this. It has been stated over and over again that the virus is spread via transmission by air, coughing, sneezing, talking etc. It has been stated that the vaccine does not innoculate one against the virus, just against us getting very, very sick.
If that is the case….then tell me how, how does being fully vaccinated allow people to forego mask wearing and social distancing.
This seems to be another great big lie from Uncle Sam.
@Joan Veira Salmon: So keep on wearing your masks. Even if you are fully Vaccinated. No one can force you not to wear your Mask. That choice to wear or not wear is yours only,once fully Vaccinated.
Well said Joan.
Cast not your pearls among swine is they will trample it under their feet, wisdom is to high for a fool all explanation and reasoning will always be rejected.
People are keep repeating the same thing, they have been told “get vaccinated, Trust the scientist, trust the politicians, herd immunity, “like they are under a spell. It is a lie once someone can still get the virus and spread it if you are vaccinated herd immunity doesnt exist.
The experiment is for emergency use not FDA approve
Fear has captivated your all minds that you accept the lies because you are fearful of death.
America has 35 percent of its population vaccinated, why is the PM and his puppets are so adamant to pursue this luciferan agenda trying to vaccinate the entire population, what have he gotten in exchange for his greed.
Is it a coincidence that all the leaders that dont follow through on the agenda is dead suddenly and all the other luciferan ones are alive, even before vaccines have been administered to the leaders.
Have they been so good been practicing social distance excellent, a normal citizen die easier than those luciferan leaders, All the world leaders are so healthy?
God is not the author of confusion, where there is confusion it is of the devil, we need to reject and shun all appearance of evil.
Stop giving in to these seducing spirit
The “seducing spirit” is COVID. Get vaccinated. You are sowing confusion, and God ain’t in your confusion. That’s for sure.
The USA hardly has an admirable track record vis a vis the pandemic.
Remember the mass graves & refrigerated trucks full of corpses?
How will they enforce no masks for fully vaccinated but masks for unvaccinated? Impossible.
Antigua – cdc have based this decision on Pfizier data & they have 35% of population fully vaccinated & scores more partially vaccinated.
America has power and wealth. Their laid off workers received social security money throughout.
Their risk analysis is a little different to ours.
We need to start by agreeing the same protocols for all who are fully vacvinated – this Tourist Flexibility SCHEME that has been in play since unvaccinated times, DISCRIMINATES AGAINST LOCALS IN FAVOUR OF PEOPLE FROM AWAY.
How long are Nationals going to accept this?
Carnival? Fetes? Are these the latest 🥕 to boost vaccinated numbers? If so, I hope all law enforcement, festivals Dept staff & govt attendees are also fully vac instead.
How will you control the city & environs’? Coz limes will pop up all over, even if carnival is vaccinated only within ARG.
I’m skeptical as it seems we never have one, clearly articulated & enforced protocol for all, so how carnival gonna be safe, smooth & not risk a spike I’m not sure. Don’t blame locals if that happens, because the cabinet have made these decisions and are encouraging participation from overseas & here.
Watching & waiting.
007 you read the article? Again the data shows that vaccinated persons are less likely to spread covid. They are also less likely to get infected
Instead of saying “I trust science and the experts,” how about just being honest and say “I don’t have the cognitive capacity to actually think critically for myself and so I default to believing whatever most people believe so that I never have to feel as dumb as I actually am.”
They didn’t make the vaccines because there is a virus. They made up the virus so they can get you to take the vaccines.
What are you smokin’ anyway. Maybe you should get some professional help.
Well said.
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