CDC Director Announces New Mask Guidance: Fully Vaccinated People Should ‘Wear Masks in Public, Indoor Settings’ in Areas With ‘High Transmission’

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky officially announced new mask guidance for vaccinated Americans on Tuesday.

With the spread of the Delta variant causing covid-19 cases to rise across the country, Walensky said, “In areas with substantial and high transmission, CDC recommends fully vaccinated people wear masks in public, indoor settings to help prevent the spread of the Delta variant and protect others.”

“This includes schools,” she said. “CDC recommends that everyone in K-12 schools wear a mask indoors, including teachers, staff, students, and visitors regardless of vaccination status.”

Walensky said children ‘should return to full-time in-person learning” with proper mitigation in place.

The most important thing, she added, continues to be getting more people vaccinated.

She addressed rare breakthrough cases in individuals who have already been vaccinated:

In recent days, I have seen new scientific data from recent outbreak investigations showing that that the Delta variant behaves uniquely differently from past strains of the virus that cause covid-19. Information on the Delta variant from several state and other countries indicate that in rare occasions, some vaccinated people infected with the Delta variant after vaccinations may be contagious and spread the virus to others. This new science is worrisome and unfortunately warrants an update to our recommendations.

Walensky emphasized that vaccinated people represent “a very small amount of transmission” and that “the highest spread of cases and severe outcomes is happening in places with low vaccination rates and among unvaccinated people.”

You can listen above, via CNN.