Edhat Staff
By edhat staff
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance on Tuesday regarding outdoor mask use for fully vaccinated Americans.
Under the new guidelines, fully vaccinated people can now unmask at small outdoor gatherings, or when dining outside with friends from multiple households. Unvaccinated people will still need to wear a mask at such gatherings.
The CDC considers people who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 as being more than 2 weeks after receiving the second dose in a 2-dose series or more than 2 weeks after receiving a single-dose vaccine.
Although, vaccinated and unvaccinated people should still avoid large indoor gatherings. The CDC defines “large gatherings” as bringing together “many people from multiple households in a private or public space.” For the fully vaccinated who choose to attend a crowded outdoor event, such as a live performance or sporting event, wearing a mask is recommended.
Fully vaccinated people can also visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing and visit with unvaccinated people (including children) from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing.
In regard to travel, fully vaccinated people can refrain from testing and self-quarantine before or after domestic and international travel.
For the time being, vaccinated people should continue to wear a fitted mask in indoor public settings and when visiting indoors with people at increased risk or unvaccinated people from multiple households. Vaccinated people should still get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, according to the CDC.
“The bottom line is clear, if you’re vaccinated, you can do more things, more safely, both outdoors as well as indoors,” President Joe Biden said during press statements on Tuesday afternoon. “So for those who haven’t gotten their vaccination yet, especially if you’re younger, or thinking you don’t need it, this is another great reason to go get vaccinated. Now.”
The California Department of Public Health and Santa Barbara County Public Health Department have yet to update their mask guidance following the CDC’s recommendations.
Chip: You were right all along.
VOR: You were correct all along as well.
Fauci: Don’t wear masks….er….wear masks….er….wear two masks…..er…..completely cover your head in duct tape…..er…..oooops….you don’t need to wear masks now….”my bad” (thanks Fowch).
Both of you should be awarded some sort of medals for putting up with all the garbage other posters threw at you on a daily basis.
Another example of the truth of the adage that you’ll never go broke underestimating the cognitive capacity of a certain demographic of the American public.
Lol, what a foolish comment. Do you know how science works when you are in the process of collecting data? Conclusions change as data changes, and that’s not a bad thing, that’s a sign of intelligence.
We have every right in the world to disagree with each other. However, those who think so highly of themselves are often nothing but mud-slinging name-callers who end up on the wrong side of history. If you believe I’m wrong about everything, then I’m wrong about nothing. If you believe the “other guy” is responsible for your unhappiness, then the “other guy” has nothing to do with your unhappiness. Self-reliance….thinks abouts it, take a deep breath, and enjoy this gorgeous day (assuming “you” are in Santa Barbara).
Thank you babycakes! I appreciate your sentiment. I would also encourage everyone to take a deep, unmasked breath and enjoy our fresh ocean air the way nature intended.
What kind of racist comment is this?
That you, Fauci?
Hypochondria has been institutionalized and weaponized by the CDC.
The CDC has convinced people to be paranoid about things that don’t make any difference, like obsessively applying “sanitizing” chemicals to everything within reach, and wearing masks outside (as a side note, I hereby predict that within a year it will be proven that masks did little or no good indoors as well. The new MIT study debunked outdoor mask use and made some major inroads on the efficacy of masks indoors, but there is more research to be done). The CDC has consistently flip-flopped, given guidance that later proved to be misguided like the arbitrary 6 foot rule (see the MIT study), and generally spread fear and uncertainty among the public. Some of the steps taken based on the CDC’s guidance actually made things worse. Now the CDC’s credibility is in tatters and a significant portion of the population has become paranoid and OCD. The CDC should have been straight with the public about what was known and what was not known from day one.
When people are alone outdoors without anyone nearby for dozens of feet nearby, why are they wearing masks? When people are alone in their cars, why are they wearing a mask? When people without masks are maintaining proper social distances, why do masked people become belligerent even though they are safe? When people are vaccinated, when will they be able to act vaccinated? I call it public hypochondria at this point. People don’t feel safe even though they are.
It was pretty clear that the CDC did not know exactly what to tell people. They didn’t have clear data, infection numbers kept flaring up—sometimes without a clear reason, and they had political interference. Plus, keep in mind that a lot of people seem to want guarantees and absolutes. They didn’t have that. Many people don’t understand nuance and subtleties, so they simplified their message, and not always well. It’s easy to say they did it wrong, but could you really have done much better? Tell 300 million people a coherent message when you didn’t have all the info up front? With political constraints?
It’s all part of the con narrative that this whole pandemic thing was totally blown out of proportion, and that 3 million or so deaths worldwide are nothing to be worried about.
VOR never posts a link to his (ahem) assertions. Have never seen this info on any mainstream media site. Probably been watching the my pillow guy.
Call me a paranoid conspiracy theorist, but . . . this looks like the configuration for a caste system. I cannot say that it is by malice of forethought or the unintended consequence of happenstance, but . . .
When the CDC and Fauci stopped being doctors and started being politicians and bureaucrats they lost the trust of many. Doctors provide their best available, 100% honest information and their professional recommendations on how to proceed, then they let their patients determine the course of action. They do not lie and put out a narrative separate from the most relevant and honest “science” in order to manipulate their patients into acting in a manner that they think is best. How would you feel if your personal doctor lied or mislead you in an aspect of your health to get you to act a certain way?
It’s not hypochondria but fear and an inaccurate risk assessment (due to the blatant fear mongering of the FOR-PROFIT media and social media, they make more money when your scared and angry!!). If those still walking around in masks by themselves outdoors truly understood the risks, not just covid but all risks they face, they would never get in a car or go swimming again.
“When all of our sources for medical information have an agenda to spin us, yeah, you wind up with a badly misinformed population, including on the left. Liberals often mock the Republican misinformation bubble, which is a real thing, but what about liberals? You know, the high-information, by-the-science people?
So almost 70% of Democrats are wildly off on the fundamental question of how many cases of COVID lead to hospitalization; 1-5% is the correct answer; 28% of Democrats polled said 20-49%; 41% of Democrats think 50% or more cases of COVID lead to hospitalizations – a margin of error of 1,000%.
(Democrats) also have a greatly exaggerated view of the danger of COVID to and the mortality rate among children, all of which explains why today the states with the highest share of schools that are still closed are all blue states. So if the right-wing media bubble has to own things like climate change denial, shouldn’t liberal media have to answer for, ‘How did your audience wind up believing such bunch of crap about COVID?”
Wildly biased media on both sides has led to Hyper partisan politics… with both sides distorting and avoiding the truth. One side denies global warming because of a late season historic snow storm while the other obsesses over a young teacher that died of COVID and use it to justify closing schools for much longer than logic or science would dictate (and to deny climate change). The anecdotal stories provide confirmation of the wildly biased BS they were fed the night before on their “objective/balanced” news source. It’s all identity politics. We need a return to the middle…
That’s true! But neither (far) side is committed to the truth… they are committed to a narrative. And unfortunately in our country the far fringe on the right and on the left are the vocal ones who set the narrative. It plays out everyday! There are some on here that are upset schools are open and that running along without a mask makes you a domestic terrorist. And on the flip side you have people who want to call the police on people wearing masks. Crazy crazy!!
Best post all week Duke.
You can tell someone is pretty clueless when they can’t figure out why an occupant of an automobile might want to stay masked.
The more I read the comment
section..
The more I realize that “They” are the crazy ones..not myself.
I always liked the kayaker paddling under the Golden Gate Bridge analogy. In related “science” news, Biden is banning travel from India due to the spike in cases there. Shall we search through EdHat’s old comments and see what some of our regular commenters had to say about the Orange Man’s ban on travel from China… for …. the …. exact…. same …. reason….?
Odd, then, that masks are so effective, isn’t it?
VOR can find a whataboutism for any topic!
Do you have a basis for saying masks are effective? The recent mit study found they are basically useless outside and raises a lot of questions re: masking indoors. I would be curious to read any studies you could point me to.
You’re making the ludicrous claim – therefore it is incumbent on you to provide evidencs. And, please, no twitter, youtube, or con conspiracy links, although that will greatly limit your repertoire.
That is not an example of whataboutism because there wasn’t a point I was trying to refute by using hypocrisy as an argument. Particularly in this case, when both decisions/travel bans were wise. It’s mind boggling how it’s xenophobic and anti-science when one person does it, yet not when the other does it (even when that other person previously said banning travel was xenophobic). It’s a crazy world we live in!!!
He did @1:59….. and the MIT paper was widely sourced here, same with the other recent CDC study that showed mask mandates lead to a whopping 1-2% reduction in hospitalizations. Can share/source your studies that show they work so well? We’ll wait….
Well, I have been contributing to the COVID news here on edhat over the past year+ and everything I have said has proved to be correct.
Not because I took an undergraduate course in Microbiology, but because I read between the lines of the official pronouncements.
All along, I argued:
+ The risk of transmission outdoors was absolutely minimal and the compulsory mask order for these outdoor settings was absurd.
+ Closing beaches and parks made absolutely no sense, forced people indoors, and encouraging the viral spread.
+ Wiping down surfaces is ridiculous hygiene theater, and by killing off the natural flora (micro-organisms) could have adverse health consequences.
Told you so.
Except there’s no guarantee the covidiots won’t infect innocent people with compromised immune systems or a genetic predisposition to a bad outcome. The deniers will also act as a reservoir for viral mutations.
Agree 100% with VOR
Pit – anecdotally, one could post any Number of your contributions from 2020 and 2021 and see a (presumably) far left wildly overblown and exaggerated fear of COVID. You consistently touted numbers that were 3 to 5 times the accepted rate of fatality and hospitalization. Again, that’s not to say COVID wasn’t/isn’t to be feared… but the left took it too far. And sure some of that cas n attributed to the far right not taking it far enough… but irrational and debilitating fear ruled the day… and many times the edhat!
There are some situations where a single occupant in a car wearing a mask makes sense… but not to the degree you see it in practice. It’s performative… like the restaurants that were power washing outside tables every morning with chemicals… jogging on the beach with a mask… or the people spending 5 minutes “disinfecting” their mail and Amazon packages. Sure… there are some narrow situations where that was necessary… but generally speaking it’s more a tangible manifestation of irrational fear and panic. But at least the mask wearing driver is out and about… I know several young people who pretty much haven’t left their homes in 13 months… they are literally paralyzed with fear.
It’s your right to wear that mask pretty much anywhere and everywhere forever! Just be cognizant that as per the cdc and logic there are quite a few situations where it’s not actually accomplishing anything. And your adherence to paranoia has tangible effects (as we saw with the school board refusing to open and people being called Covidiots and domestic terrorists for being on the beach or on a run without a mask). In essence, paranoia is contagious and can have tangible effects…
You know I support people making their own decisions and if they want to cover their face for the rest of their lives power to them. But when I see someone walking or driving alone with a mask, it’s glaring reminder how incredibly we failed to communicate accurate information to the public during the pandemic and how we’re intentionally being scared and divided so the media / social media / big tech can profit off our fear and division and politicians can grab for more power like kids after a broken piñata. Orange man may have been an a-hole and failed in other areas, but when 41% of Democrats think 50% or more cases of COVID lead to hospitalizations, and 28% of Democrats polled said 20-49%; when the true answer is 1-5%, he was not wrong to down play the virus.
Duke and I have science on our side, you have psychology on yours (a field of science I guess). If the vaccines work as well as the scientist’s data says it does and everyone who wants a shot has had a chance to get one, we are done with masks, done with restrictions, and schools should be open as normal. But here in CA we haven’t followed the science since “15 days to flatten the curve”.
VOR – “Duke and I have science on our side.” Ohhhh so cool. So what? You want a cookie? My God get over yourself. What are you even babbling about? I’m not saying we need masks. Do you not even read my comments? I’m only saying don’t freak out so much about people deciding to continue wearing masks. Leave them alone, they’re not hurting anyone.
LETMEGO – yes, sadly, yes they are. We all know they’re not the cure to COVID, but if they help even a little, even .0001%, I’m happy to keep wearing one indoors or as needed. Some people are so selfish, they can’t even be bothered to try and will kick and scream until they get their way. Screw everyone else, VOR has “science on his side.”
If you are vaccinated, they are never “needed” unless you have an irrational fear and “need” a security blankie.
Now you’re for sure the anti-science one. I clearly said if your vaccinated, you don’t NEED to wear a mask. If choose too that’s fine, if they choose to carry around a security blankie or wear a superman cape they are free to do that as well.
Do you wear a helmet walking in the street Sac? You should definitely be wearing one in the car if you risk tolerance is .001%.
VOR – some “science” to prove you wrong, once again (this is getting exhausting):
“The vaccine is designed to stop the virus from making you sick. We don’t know yet if the vaccine will stop you from spreading the virus. We should continue to wear masks, social distance, and wash hands after we’ve been vaccinated. (source – Vanderbilt University Medical Center) (1.19.20)” – https://victr.vumc.org/community-faq/#:~:text=The%20vaccine%20is%20designed%20to,(1.19.20)
“Vaccinated people could potentially still become infected and spread the virus to others. ” – https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/science-briefs/fully-vaccinated-people.html
“However, please be aware that you can potentially spread the virus to others.” – https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fully-vaccinated-against-covid-19-so-what-can-you-safely-do-2021032522230
So, although masks are not as effective as we thought at the beginning (you know, like scientific knowledge evolves over time), they are still at least slightly, even if more than 0%, effective. To say no safety measures (ie, masks) are needed once you are vaccinated is WRONG and contrary to the “science” you boast of having on “your side.”
VOR – my bad, going to walk back that first source – it was from August. Point remains, there is a chance of spread after vaccination. Until that possibility is ZERO, you can’t honestly say you don’t need a mask after vaccination.
ZERO is not a realistic goal! If that is your goal you should never leave your home, actually not even your bedroom, you could slip in the shower hit your head and die.
All unintentional injury deaths
Number of deaths: 173,040
Deaths per 100,000 population: 52.7
Cause of death rank: 3
Source: National Vital Statistics System – Mortality data (2019) via CDC WONDER
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/accidental-injury.htm
Unintentional fall deaths
Number of deaths: 39,433
Deaths per 100,000 population: 12.0
Source: National Vital Statistics System – Mortality data (2019) via CDC WONDER
Motor vehicle traffic deaths
Number of deaths: 37,595
Deaths per 100,000 population: 11.5
Source: National Vital Statistics System – Mortality data (2019) via CDC WONDER
Unintentional poisoning deaths
Number of deaths: 65,773
Deaths per 100,000 population: 20.0
Letmego – Wait, your kids wear masks all day AND they keep them on in the car because it’s “good practice”?
Sac – The jab is because in our part of the country it’s the opposite of Idaho and Texas…you are called a COVIDIOT or a domestic terrorist for running without a mask or walking on the beach without a mask. As you know I’m quite vocal about the dangers and craziness of the hyper political climate we find ourselves in. And as such, both extremes are wildly problematic. Generally speaking, the wearing a mask in your car alone crowd led California to keep schools closed for egregiously long. So yes, it’s peoples choice…but those choices are/were being made against science and logic by enough prominent people that it becomes a problem.
And yes, I would agree that Trump started it…but once he did, the other side matched the lunacy step by step…just obviously in the inverse.
No in here is saying that. What people are saying is that irrational fear has led people to do a lot of nonsensical things. It’s human nature and human history…and that panic and paranoia manifests in people wearing their masks in situations in which it makes no sense and has no value.
VOR – nope, you have not yet said whether or not you are affected by others choosing to wear masks. No, you’ve instead boasted of having science on your side and repeating the same nonsense over and over. The answer is, IT DOESN’T. Therefore, if it does not affect you if people make this choice, then don’t freaking worry about it. Enough, done with this. I’m off to go outside and put on my mask when I’m close to others that might not be vaccinated. I hope you can handle that. Good day, sir.
Sac, I respect the religious beliefs of those who wear masks. Followers of “science” believe the science has made it an obligation for people to wear the mask. The majority of science believers wear the mask to show their obedience to the laws of science. In addition, the mask has emerged as a symbol of scientific consciousness. Many see wearing the mask as an indication of their desire to be a part of the scientific revival, especially in countries where the practice of science is discouraged or forbidden. While those who seek to ban the mask refer to it as a symbol of repression, those who wear it do so by their own independent choice. They view it as a privilege and not a burden. The mask provides wearers with an aura of privacy and helps those who wear it avoid interaction with others. In some science based cultures people are forced to wear the mask, but this is not the norm.
See my comment at 09:52 AM, your question answered. Please feel free to go out and where a mask whenever you choose, but it isn’t science you’re putting on your face it’s a symbol, and as per my 09:52 AM comment, it’s a symbol of how poorly we communicated accurate information about covid-19 during the pandemic.
Sac, I won’t be wearing a mask this weekend and I do not mind at all if you choose to wear one. I respect your personal choice. I hope everyone enjoys the nice weather this weekend, with or without a mask.
Best visual description I’ve heard is that given the size of the virus and the mesh of cloth masks wearing them is like throwing sand at a chain link fence.
Well, if anything is going to motivate these idiots (GOP supporters/Trumpers) to get vaccinated, it’s people like me rooting for their demise.
Sacjon: Thank you for your kind words. You certainly have cleared up my confusion. Prior to your comment, I thought all cops were bad and that only liberals were hateful. I’m ashamed of myself for implying that I had a different view of things than others. Going forward, I’ll go along with your supportive approach.
The world of the open minded, woke, progressive, and inclusive:
“….. the fewer Republicans in this world, the better.”
“I applaud all of those Republicans who refuse to get vaccinated. The fewer of you around, the better…….”
“….these idiots (GOP supporters/Trumpers) to get vaccinated, it’s people like me rooting for their demise.”
Their attitude is that if you don’t agree with me, then I wish you dead. Make no mistake, if you needed life/death help, these people would not help you if you did not agree with them politically.
BABYCAKES – if you think that is the attitude of all liberals, then you must agree that all cops are bad, right? Also, if you think that hateful attitude is unique to liberals or is not in any way reciprocated by conservatives, I’ve got a bridge to sell you. Spare us the “poor, loving, victimized Repubicans” bs. It goes both ways and we all know it.
Babycakes, don’t forget about them not wanting the anyone to receive health care who didn’t follow the covid restrictions to the T (the “covidiots”), no matter how crazy, arbitrary or contradictory to real science the “rule” was .
It doesn’t go both ways here that is for sure. Not following how Babycakes comments means he must agree that all cops are bad, quite the contrary I believe.
VOR – of course you don’t get it, not surprising at all. The analogy to cops is based on the blanket implication that all “woke, progressives” feel the way one person does based on a ridiculous comment. If you feel one bad person is representative of all people in that group, then you also must believe that all cops are bad, just because one is. Same for believing all white people are racist, just because one person makes a racist comment. Same as believing all dogs bite, just because one dog bit you. Does any of this help your confusion?
Alex – The people avoiding the vaccine are disproportionally poor. There is also a huge reluctance amongst certain ethnicities. Do you not care about these people either? They’ve been warned…right?