CDC Issues New Outdoor Face Mask Guidance For Fully Vaccinated People

On yesterday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance on outdoor mask use for fully vaccinated Americans.

If you're fully vaccinated, the CDC says you can now take your mask off at small outdoor gatherings, or when dining outside with friends from multiple households. For the fully vaccinated who do choose to attend a crowded outdoor event, such as a live performance, parade, or sporting event, wearing a mask is recommended.  The CDC advises vaccinated people to still wear masks in indoor public spaces, such as a mall, movie theatre or museum, the CDC continues to recommend wearing a mask.

The CDC is telling unvaccinated people that they still need to wear a mask at such gatherings. The CDC advises that even if you've been vaccinated, you should avoid large indoor gatherings but did not define how many people would be in a large gathering.

People are considered fully vaccinated by the CDC two weeks after the second dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccines or two weeks after the single-dose Johnson + Johnson vaccine.