Vaccinated Americans no longer need to wear masks outside except in crowds, CDC says

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its guidelines for Americans who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 advising that they no longer need to wear face masks outdoors, except in crowds.

New public health recommendations say that people who have received a full course of one of the three vaccines available in the US may go without masks when walking, jogging, or biking outdoors with household members.

However, the CDC cautions that crowded outdoor settings still pose a risk and urges both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals to continue to wear masks at sporting events, live performances, and parades.

The previous CDC guidelines said that “masks may not be necessary when you are outside by yourself away from others, or with people who live in your household” — though they also advise abiding by local mask mandates when out in public or any relevant federal rules.

CDC guidelines have informed most local mandates regarding masks and social distancing. Prior to Tuesday’s White House Covid response briefing a call was held with governors and individuals states are now expected to adjust their own rules.

In the 13 months since Covid-19 began to spread in the US, researchers have found that outdoor transmission only accounts for a small number of infections.

Studies of vaccinated people have also found that they carry substantially less of the virus in the very rare cases in which they may become infected. It is believed that this makes it much less likely that they can spread the virus to other people.

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