Update: The CDC released a new mask guide Friday afternoon: read the latest here. Our previous story is below.
Biden administration will significantly loosen federal mask protection guidelines COVID-19[feminine[feminine broadcast on Friday, according to two people familiar with the matter, which means that most Americans will no longer be recommended to wear masks in indoor public settings.
On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will announce a change in the metrics it uses to determine whether we recommend facials, moving from looking at COVID-19 case counts to a more holistic view of coronavirus risk in a community. According to current guidelines, masks are recommended for people living in substantial or high transmission communities, approximately 95% of U.S. counties, according to the latest data.
The new metrics will still take into account the case load, but will also take into account hospitalizations and local hospital capacity, which have improved markedly during the advent of the omicron variant. This strain is highly transmissible, but indications are that it is less severe than previous strains, especially for people who are fully vaccinated and potentiated. Under the new guidelines, the vast majority of Americans will no longer live in areas where it is recommended to disguise themselves indoors in public, according to current data.
The new policy comes as the Biden administration moves to change its approach to preventing serious illness and death from COVID-19, rather than all cases of infection, as part of a strategic adjustment for a new one. “phase” in the response as the virus becomes. endemic.
The two people familiar with the change spoke on condition of anonymity to see the CDC’s action before the announcement.
The change comes when almost every state in the United States that had issued warrants for the use of indoor masks to increase omicron in the winter drops them, as cases have plummeted all over. the country. Some have completely eliminated mandates, while others have maintained the requirements for the use of masks for schools and medical facilities.
It was not immediately clear how the new CDC guidelines would affect U.S. federal mandates requiring facial transportation coverage.
The director of the CDC, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, said that there has been a change in the works.
“We need to consider hospital capacity as an important additional barometer. Our hospitals need to be able to care for people with heart attacks and strokes. Our emergency services can’t be so overwhelmed that patients with emerging problems have to wait. to the tail “. he said during a briefing at the White House last week.
However, he declined to give a specific date when the CDC would announce a change. CDC officials declined Thursday to confirm a release date.
“At @CDCgov, we’ve been analyzing our # COVID19 data and changed our focus to prevent more serious outcomes and minimize health stress,” Walensky tweeted Thursday night, without providing details about Friday’s announcement. .
- In:
- COVID-19[feminine[feminine
- CDC guidelines
Add Comment