Home International 118 million fully vaccinated Americans can ditch their masks – CDC

118 million fully vaccinated Americans can ditch their masks – CDC

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Americans who have received their shots no longer need to wear face masks or physically distance in most indoor and outdoor settings.

The “Field of flags” is seen on the National Mall in front of the U.S. Capitol building ahead of inauguration ceremonies for President-elect Joe Biden in Washington, U.S., January 20, 2021. REUTERS/Allison Shelley TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

THE CENTERS for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States has announced that fully vaccinated Americans no longer need to wear face masks or physically distance in most indoor and outdoor settings.

This would apply to the 118 million people who are fully vaccinated.

In an updated public health briefing on Thursday, the CDC’s director, Dr Rochelle Walensky said that anyone who has received their vaccines may participate in most activities again whether in large or small groups.

“If you are fully vaccinated, you can start doing the things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic. We have all longed for this moment when we can get back to some sense of normalcy”.

A person is considered to be fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.

So far, the United States has vaccinated 265 million people.

“Based on the continuing downward trajectory of cases, the scientific data on the performance of our vaccines and our understanding of how the virus spreads, that moment has come for those who are fully vaccinated,” she said.

The instances where people are still required to wear masks include places such as airplanes, buses, trains and other public transportation, places where required by the state, and local businesses and workplace guidance.

In all healthcare settings, such as hospitals, clinics, and doctors rooms, people would also still be required to wear a mask.

Fully vaccinated Americans who wish to travel would not be required to get tested before leaving the country unless their destination requires it. They also would not need to self-quarantine after arriving back in the United States.

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