CDC to Soften Mask Guidelines.
Federal mask-wearing guidelines for protecting against COVID-19 transmission will be relaxed on Friday by the Biden administration. As a result, most Americans will not need to wear masks in public settings, according to Local 4 Detroit. It is expected on Friday that the CDC will announce that it is changing the metrics it uses to determine whether to recommend face coverings, shifting from examining COVID-19 cases to a more totalitarian view for the of risk of contracting the Coronavirus. According to the current guidelines, masks should be worn by people living in communities with substantial or high transmission, which, according to the latest data, is around 95% of counties in the U.S. With the emergence of the omicron variant and other variants, the CDC will still consider caseloads and hospitalizations. Hospital capacity will also be considered as well due to how rapidly the omicron variant filled hospitals.
As part of a revised strategy for a new “phase” of the response for COVID-19 relief efforts as the virus becomes an endemic, the Biden administration shifts its focus to preventing serious illness and death from the virus. Nearly all the states that enacted indoor mask-wearing requirements for the winter omicron surge are now relaxing on the mask requirement, due to the dramatic drop in cases. While some have eliminated the mandates entirely, others have maintained requirements for schools, medical facilities, some restaurants etc. to continue to wear masks. As more information about the masks mandates and COVID-19 continues to be released, we will be sure to keep you as updated as possible.