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Fully vaccinated against COVID? CDC says you can mostly drop the mask

by The AV Times Staff • May 13, 2021

People who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can largely stop wearing a mask in most indoor and outdoor situations, according to revised guidance released Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The announcement, however, does not immediately reverse existing mask- wearing requirements in Los Angeles County or in California as a whole. L.A. County requirements allow fully vaccinated residents to shed masks while indoors with other fully vaccinated people. But mask mandates remain in place for everyone working at or patronizing businesses — such as grocery stores or retail shops.

County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said local mask requirements won’t be changing until at least late next week, when state Occupational Health and Safety regulators meet to consider possible changes to worksite masking guidelines.

Ferrer’s comments echo those being heard across the country, as health officials weigh the continued protection of workers who may not be vaccinated — and the thorny question of how business owners and employers can verify who has actually been vaccinated.

The revised CDC guidance was announced in response to repeated studies showing the effectiveness of the vaccines, offering people who have been inoculated a great deal of protection against infection or severe illness if they are infected.

“Anyone who is fully vaccinated can participate in indoor and outdoor activities, large or small, without wearing a mask or physical distancing,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said.

The new CDC guidance does not completely drop mask recommendations for vaccinated people. Face coverings are still recommended in some settings — such as aboard planes and buses or in crowded settings such as hospitals.

Walensky also said people who are vaccinated but are “immune compromised” should “talk to your doctor before giving up your mask.”

“This is an exciting and powerful moment,” Walensky said of the announcement, while also urging more people to get vaccinated.

“The science is also very clear about unvaccinated people: you remain at risk of mild or severe illness, of death, or of spreading the disease,” she said. “You should still mask, and you should get vaccinated right away.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom indicated this week that the state will likely ease its mask mandate on June 15, when all other COVID restrictions on businesses and gatherings are set to be eliminated. Newsom told Fox11 the state will continue to make recommendations for mask-wearing in select circumstances. But he said mask-wearing will likely only be required in large-scale indoor gatherings.

“Only in those settings that are indoor,” he told Fox11. “Only in those massively large settings, where people — from around the world, not just around the country — are convening, and where people are mixing in real dense spaces.

“Otherwise, we’ll make guidance, recommendations, but no mandates and no restrictions,” he said.

Ferrer said no changes will be immediately made to local mask wearing requirements. She said Cal-OSHA regulators are set to meet May 20 to discuss possible adjustments to workplace masking requirements, and the county will align with any changes they approve. But until then, mask will remain mandated for everyone patronizing businesses or worksites.

“I know people are going to be impatient now and they’re going to say, `No, time to get on this. Time to just eliminate all these requirements around masking,”‘ Ferrer said. “But that wasn’t the intent, I don’t think, of the CDC. I think CDC wrote in multiple places that people really do need to adhere to worker protections and state and local directives. It’s important for us to remember that we do need to protect workers, particularly those workers that are in essential work environments.”

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Filed Under: Health, Home, Los Angeles County

13 comments for "Fully vaccinated against COVID? CDC says you can mostly drop the mask"

  1. Loampounder says

    May 15, 2021 at 7:01 am

    SO, the big news is that the scientists announce that those people who are fully vaccinated can drop the mask except in states where they cannot??? Does science change by county?

    We need to stop pampering people who choose not to get vaccinated. That is the risk they choose.

    • Tim Scott says

      May 15, 2021 at 10:49 am

      The problem with “Vaccinated, okay drop the mask” is that it makes enforcement a real bitch. The stores can see that you have a mask on when they let you in, but unless they stop you and ask they have no way of knowing if you have been vaccinated.

      Do you really think that the selfish morons that have been itching to “protest” by spreading their potential disease are going to follow a policy of masking if the store puts up a policy like that? Of course they won’t! Zink will be marching around spewing constantly and daring anyone to ask if he’s vaccinated, and so would most of the 63% in Lancaster that aren’t vaccinated yet.

      I know it sucks that we all have to be inconvenienced in order to protect us all from the selfish few, but we just have to bear up a little longer.

  2. Magnetlady says

    May 14, 2021 at 10:47 am

    So, how does the county plan to enforce ”fully vaccinated people” as opposed to those who are NOT vaccinated? VACCINE POLICE??? Some people cannot take the vaccination, are they treated like LEPERS now? Do you need to show a ”vaccination card” everywhere you go from now on out?? People can continue to wear a mask if they choose to, although it’s a personal choice as well..

    • Tim Scott says

      May 14, 2021 at 12:05 pm

      At a guess, businesses will institute “wear a mask or show your vax card” as a policy…so yeah probably should get used to carrying the card. I figure I’m just gonna keep wearing the mask. I don’t think it is a coincidence that the past “flu season” was almost non-existent and if me wearing a mask limits transmission of the flu it seems like a pretty minor inconvenience. Plus it is easier to just walk into the store masked than to stop and show a card.

      • William says

        May 14, 2021 at 1:14 pm

        As usual, MagnetLady as do all on the Fox News feed, asks questions. But, here’s the thing. She won’t accept the answers. She’ll just generate the next question endlessly.

        It’s sort of a Questioning Tourette’s Syndrom.

        Go ahead. Answer all her questions above and see if she accepts them.

      • AV Resident says

        May 15, 2021 at 2:25 pm

        I’m gonna laminate my vaccination card at STAPLES.

  3. Beecee says

    May 13, 2021 at 4:33 pm

    “People who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can largely stop wearing a mask in most indoor and outdoor situations”

    Isn’t that the point of getting vaccinated?
    Smart guidance from the CDC as I believe more people will get their vaccinations now with this guidance. It shows light at the end of the tunnel.

    • Answer Man says

      May 14, 2021 at 1:16 pm

      No. There’s more to it but typically, you don’t see it.

      • Answer Man says

        May 14, 2021 at 3:48 pm

        Yes, Beecee because your username is quite the identifier up there with your SS#.

        Sheesh. You can never win here. Give it up.

        • Answer Man says

          May 14, 2021 at 3:49 pm

          Oh, Beecee is angry. That still doesn’t make her any smarter.

        • Beecee says

          May 14, 2021 at 4:05 pm

          Look everybody,
          It’s Democrat dweb

          Believe me hun, nobody here is gonna get me mad.

    • Stinger says

      May 14, 2021 at 6:03 pm

      Unbelievable. Simply unbelievable. You finally posted something I can agree with.

      Scary. ;-)

      • Tim Scott says

        May 14, 2021 at 7:35 pm

        Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then.

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