CDC now says vaccinated people should wear masks indoors in these areas

Face masks
(Image credit: TZIDO SUN/Shutterstock)

The Delta variant is rapidly spreading throughout the United States. To help stop the spread, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending that fully vaccinated people return to wearing face masks indoors when in high risk areas, reports CNN.

The CDC says this is especially important in cities with high Covid-19 transmission. (The CDC has an online tracker where anyone can see the level of community transmission). 

The Delta variant was first detected in the United States in March 2021. Since then, it's become the dominant strain in the U.S., representing 83% of cases. The strain seems to spread faster and is more contagious than the original Covid-19 strain.

Although studies suggest vaccines protect against the Delta variant, recent reports say that the Delta variant is capable of infecting fulling vaccinated people at a greater rate than previous versions. In addition, there are concerns that the vaccinated can also spread the Delta variant.

"To maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission," suggests the CDC. States such as Missouri, Mississippi, and Alabama currently have high infection rates. 

According to data from the CDC, currently 46% of US counties have "high transmission" and 17% have "substantial" transmission. In addition, the updated CDC guidance recommends everyone in schools wear masks. 

If you have a weakened immune system or underlying medical condition, the CDC recommends that you wear a face mask regardless of the level of transmission in your area. Additionally, if someone is on medication that weakens their immune system, they may not be protected against the Delta variant, even if they're fully vaccinated.

Louis Ramirez

As deals editor at Tom’s Guide, Louis is constantly looking for ways to avoid paying full price for the latest gadgets. With over 10 years of deals-hunting experience, Louis price checks against multiple retailers and searches high and low for the best deals to bring readers. A born-and-bred New Yorker, Louis is also an avid swimmer and marathoner. His work has appeared on Gizmodo, CNET, and Time Out New York.

  • Wolfshadw
    As a personal choice, I've already started re-wearing masks in public venues (US) and yes, I am fully vaccinated.

    -Wolf sends
    Reply
  • COLGeek
    Wolfshadw said:
    As a personal choice, I've already started re-wearing masks in public venues (US) and yes, I am fully vaccinated.

    -Wolf sends
    Same here, fully vaccinated. Been wearing masks indoors (public places) since the zombie apocalypse began and plan on doing for some time to come.
    Reply