This means that most Americans won’t be encouraged to wear masks indoors.
Friday’s announcement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will change the criteria it uses to decide whether to recommend face coverings. Instead of focusing on COVID-19 cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now considers the risk to a wider range of people. According to current guidelines, masks should be worn by people who live in areas of high or substantial transmission (roughly 95% of U.S. county counties).
While the new metrics will still take into consideration caseloads, they will also consider hospitalizations and capacity at local hospitals. These factors have been significantly improved since the emergence the omicron version. Although the strain is highly transmissible it appears to be less severe than previous strains, especially for those who have been fully vaccinated or boosted. Based on current data, the majority of Americans won’t live in areas where indoor masking is required.
As the virus becomes more widespread, the Biden administration is shifting its focus to COVID-19 prevention rather than on all cases. This strategy adjustment will allow for a new phase in the response.
Two people who were familiar with the changes spoke anonymously to give a preview of the CDC’s actions before the announcement.
This is because nearly all U.S. States that had established indoor mask-wearing requirements for the winter micron surge are letting them go as national cases have fallen dramatically. Some states have removed the mandates completely, while others keep mask-wearing requirements in effect for schools and medical facilities.
It was unclear how the new CDC guidance would impact U.S. federal mandates requiring facial coverings on public transport.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky is the director of the CDC. She stated that a change was in the works.
We must also consider the hospital capacity as an important indicator. Hospitals must be equipped to treat stroke victims and heart attack survivors. “Our emergency departments cannot be so overwhelmed that patients needing urgent care have to wait in queues,” she stated during a White House briefing last Wednesday.
She declined to specify a date when the CDC would make an announcement. Officials at the CDC refused to confirm a release time on Thursday.
Walensky tweeted Thursday night: “At @CDCgov we have been analyzing #COVID19 Data and shifting our focus towards preventing the most severe outcomes, and minimizing healthcare strain,” but offered no details about Friday’s announcement.