The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can forgo their masks and social distancing in many indoor situations.
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Yes! While this expert guidance came earlier than expected, I will happily lose the mask in almost all situations.
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My interpretation is this is the “carrot” to convince the vaccine-reluctant to get the jab.
In my state the governor has announced an indoor mask mandate until 70% are vaccinated. Again an enticement to get a shot in the arm of the vaccine reluctant.
In the coming weeks I’ll be working at home less, and commuting to my job downtown via mass transit more. Very happy about this!
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I’ll probably keep wearing my mask in public indoor environments (eg. Grocery store). It may be fine not to do so, but my community only opened up vaccines to all adults 5 weeks ago, so lots of people aren’t fully vaccinated yet. I’d rather just wait until everyone has had their chance.
I think it’s still the law here anyway.
The CDC says we still need to wear masks on public transportation which is a relief. I planned to use it for the first time next weekend. I’d rather just have a bit more protection until a higher proportion of my community is vaccinated.
Still! It’s great news!!! Makes me very hopeful that the vaccines truly are our way out of this! 
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I agree with @Tim12. I think it is just an incentive since vaccinations have slowed down to reach the 30 million that don’t mind getting a vaccination but it’s been to hard to get an appointment or take off work, or young that don’t think it’s important for them. It’s the carrot to give them a reason. Possibly enough of a carrot to get some of the hesitant as well.
The next problem, even though I’m vaccinated, is the people that aren’t for various reasons. You could be one of the 10% that still get it and it will be likely from someone unvaccinated. The mask adds that extra protection. While it’s rare to be able to pass the virus to someone if vaccinated, it is still, although slightly, possible.
Our Governor says it will remain the law here to wear a mask in our state for now. The biggest reason you can’t tell who has been vaccinated. All the faking of vaccine passports and faking negative testing that is going on, the people insisting they don’t have to wear a mask when it’s the law here, he has stated that everyone will still be required to wear a mask because who wants to get into, you’re not wearing a mask, prove you’re vaccinated problem. And as soon as a few shed their mask, everyone, vaccinated or not will stop wearing them too. There will be no controlling that.
He specifically stated we have too many not vaccinated yet, even though we have a higher vaccination rate than most states. He mentioned we have to protect our keiki (children) and those that can’t get a vaccination yet or haven’t been vaccinated yet. Plus even though 12 year olds are starting to get vaccinated, it will take time to do it plus then time for immunity to start. Even though vaccines look to be available fairly soon for 5 years and up, that will take time too.
I agree and will still be wearing a mask. I feel more protected now with a vaccination, but I know of 2 people because of health reasons that can’t be vaccinated easily. I also know the variants are hitting kids more and we had our first child death here. Idiots with a 2 year old that had a compromised immune system and they decided they would vacay in Hawaii. Now their kid is dead. As far as I’m concerned while things are looking much better, we are not normal yet and just because people wish it so, doesn’t make it so.
I think he has made the right decision and I will still be wearing a mask.
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I will be ditching my mask except for the few places still required. Being vaccinated I feel as protected as I ever will be or at least protected enough to return to normal life. While I realize that infection is still possible vaccination makes the possibility of it being life ending unlikely. I think my odds of catching and dying from this virus are no more than the flu, those are odds I’m willing to take.
I have gladly worn a mask to protect not just myself but also the people I came into contact with, there were no truly effective individual defenses, the only defense was to create as many barriers as possible to its spread meaning masks for everyone and more. I felt responsible for my community as much as I did for myself.
Things have changed now, there is a defensive measure an individual can take in the form of vaccines and they are available to almost everyone in the US. Protecting yourself is again a personal responsibility, If you have been on the fence about vaccination now is the time, the clock has started an the time is approaching when society will no longer protect you.
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@Stemwinder_Gary I was in town yesterday for my 1st group bicycle ride in a year. It was a small group, only 3 of us all fully vaccinated. We rode without masks, but we aren’t on top of one another. After the ride I had to go to 7 public places and I wore a mask in all of them. It just feels unnatural when in crowds of strangers to not wear a mask.
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I agree with Marie20. I, too, will be wearing my mask when I’m among others who may not be vaccinated, like in stores and, even, outside if near large groups of people I don’t know (like at the beach.)
I totally disagree with the concept that removing the mask mandate for those who are vaccinated will encourage those who are not yet vaccinated to get it done. Based on what we’ve seen over the past year, I fear that removing the mask mandate will simply encourage those who either don’t want the vaccine or are just too lazy to make the time to get the vaccine to simply remove their own masks and claim they’re vaccinated. I certainly hope I’m wrong, but I have a sinking feeling that we’re going to see another wave of outbreaks.
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Well, with vaccines as effective as they are, the outbreaks will be among the unvaccinated. I’m afraid my sympathy for them is waning. Whether I wear a mask or not will have little impact on whether a wave occurs since I’m vaccinated. The science is pretty clear at this point. There are anecdotal stories of a few vaccinated people getting sick- but some people die of the flu every year. We don’t shut our society down to prevent that. As long as the science says the risk of infection is less than 5%, and the risk of severe illness is less than 1%, then we need to let humans be humans and experience life.
The beach is basically one of the safest places you can be… you’ve got the humidity, sun, and wind trifecta. As Fauci said, “ If you are going into a completely crowded situation, where people are falling all over each other, then you wear a mask. But any other time, if you’re vaccinated and you’re outside, put aside your mask. You don’t have to wear it."
I hope kids can get vaccinated soon though. I am concerned about the unvaccinated adults infecting them since vaccines have not yet been approved for kids. It’s a pretty selfish and foolish move at this point to refuse vaccination- for most people anyway.
Does anyone know if the CDC addressed this?
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I was in a store yesterday for the first time in 14 months. The saleswoman and I were both masked. She told me that she was unvaccinated, but that since vaccinated people could now not wear masks, she is excited to get vaccinated. She asked me about my experience getting vaccinated, and she is now getting vaccinated as soon as possible.
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At this point I think people have to take on responsibility for themselves. If vaccines are available and you don’t get one then you need to accept the risk.
The truth is That masks do nothing outdoors, and indoors it’s minimal for vaccinated people.
If we make rules based on trying to convince the not convincible, then we are wasting our time.
I wear a mask indoors at stores etc because it’s required.
We will never get everyone vaccinated, due to stubbornness and resistance and misinformation. The vaccines, and masks have become political, it’s a shame. It’s difficult for people to know what is the best thing to do.
At some point we need to let people suffer their own consequences.
Once they bring down the age for vaccines, schools will require them for all kids like every other disease.
It will eventually fade away, but there will always be antivaxers.
We will likely have to deal with yearly boosters. We get to hear this every year, like flu shots.
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But this soon? When some people are still trying to get vaccinated? When a lot have just had their first shot. It wasn’t that long ago they opened up to the over age 60 group and then everyone else. Sure there will always be the at risk people that can’t and eventually everyone will shed their masks anyways. I just think it’s too early.
And right now the newer variants are hitting kids more. They just barely started the over 12 year olds…so what about the rest of the kids? That will take some more time. That is one of the main reasons our state is choosing to keep the mask rule. Because face it, there are too many jerks out there that will claim they are vaccinated that won’t be and shed their masks. There will be no way to know who’s who.
So I am glad they are keeping the mask rule here and giving a chance for kids to get vaccinated too. I will still wear one. I look forward to a healthy Happy Halloween, when I expect most that will be vaccinated will have been of all age groups.
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katers87…:“outbreaks will be among the unvaccinated. I’m afraid my sympathy for them is waning.” I’m absolutely with you on that! My greatest concern, being much older and more susceptible due to multiple co-morbidities, is that the virus will keep mutating and possibly become a version that the current vaccines won’t protect against.
As for wearing a mask at a beach…I probably won’t, unless it’s very crowded. You would not believe how close people plop themselves down near people who are already there. The summer before last, my friend and I were at our usual beach, staked out our space with our two beach chairs and a blanket, and a group of about 14 people came, plunked down within 2 feet of us, kids running right across our blanket and our feet, kicking sand in our faces (not deliberately) and the adults simply ignored them and continued their (very loud) conversations. We would have moved, but there really was no better place to move to at that point. So, I will bring a mask with me to the beach this year but won’t wear it unless I absolutely have to.
Marilyn6…your story gives me hope. If only most of the unvaccinated will respond like that saleswoman, we might be out of this sooner than I expect.
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I am also sincerely hoping that the virus will not mutate into a version that evades the protections vaccines provide. I guess my approach to this is that we should take advantage of the protections vaccines offer right now. If such a mutation occurs, then at least we’ll have had a little break from all the protocols.
All I can say about that beach experience is: Ugh! What rude people. I hope that doesn’t happen this year.
At the risk of stating an unpopular opinion, there should also be some forthcoming legislation to address those who choose to remain unvaccinated. If they (the unvaccinated) choose to remain so, and contract a serious case of Covid-19 requiring medical support beyond their means, I for one as a vaccinated individual do not feel any compulsion to pay their medical bills through my tax dollars. Much like smokers choosing to smoke. They should bear the full brunt of any medical costs either with or without their medical insurers.
I don’t however feel this should apply to individuals who have little or no access to medical insurance and cannot afford insurance due to legitimate cost reasons.
I was in 3 stores yesterday and all required masks.
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Me too. It’s still the law here.
Which I said in my post.
But the rules are changing all over the country. I don’t expect mask requirements to remain in stores that are in states without a mask mandate.
My family lives in a state without a mask mandate. People could go into some stores without a mask well before the new CDC guidance. Their state also has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country…
Massachusetts stores still have a mask mandate, however, I went to a local car show today with several hundred cars and people packed tight in the drinking and eating areas and although there were signs posted everywhere to mask unless eating or drinking there were no masked individuals in sight. I think we were just all so relieved that we can finally enjoy the outdoors mask less, we may have been a little careless. We have virtually no cases and/or deaths due to COVID in our county.
Acting like this is over is a huge mistake. I just read an article that one of the worlds most vaccinated countries (Seychelles) has over a 60% vaccination rate and yet are in the midst of another outbreak.
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I think that really depends on where you live, work, play and travel to. We did not take masks very seriously in my town in MA got a total of 70 cases and no deaths. My Asia headquarters in India, however, is currently on total lockdown with all employees required to work from home and their cases and deaths do not look good.