New CDC guidelines don’t require fully vaccinated people to wear masks indoors, but many companies like Starbucks and some state and local governments have not yet relaxed their own mask rules.
“The whole country is not a homogeneous space,” said CDC director Rochelle Walensky on Thursday that the CDC does not trump state and local restrictions. “So we have some jurisdictions with higher case numbers. We have some jurisdictions with lower vaccine administration.”
Big companies like Walmart, Target, Kroger, Home Depot, CVS, Walgreens, Macy’s, and Starbucks have policies that require employees and buyers to mask themselves – at least for now, according to Insider.
“As throughout the pandemic, we are reviewing current safety practices, the latest guidelines from the CDC, and soliciting feedback from staff to guide the next phase of our policy,” a Kroger spokesman told Insider.
Kroger, the largest grocery chain in the US, tells me that despite new CDC guidelines, customers will still have to wear masks in stores. Meanwhile, the UFCW food workers’ union is angry about CDC’s move. “Are [workers] should the vaccination police now become? “
– Dave Jamieson (@jamieson) May 14, 2021
Two unions representing food and retail workers said the CDC guidelines need clarification and put their members at risk.
“While we all share a desire to return to normal mask-free conditions, today’s CDC guidelines are confusing and fail to take into account how this will affect key workers who are often exposed to those who are not vaccinated and who refuse to use masks wear, “said Marc Perrone of the United Food and Commercial Workers said in a statement.
Lisa LaBruno, senior executive vice president of the Retail Industry Leaders Association, said the group is striving for consistency with the CDC.
“Today’s CDC masks announcement creates confusion for retailers as it doesn’t fully align with state and local orders,” she said. “These conflicting positions put retailers and their employees in incredibly difficult situations. We urge state and local governments to coordinate with the CDC as additional guidance is issued on the road to normalcy. “
Walt Disney World can relax the mask policy
In response to the CDC guidelines, Bob Chapek, CEO of the Walt Disney Company, says the mask guidelines for the theme parks may be dropped or relaxed this summer, according to the company’s website. He didn’t give an exact time frame.
Current policy requires guests over 2 years of age to wear masks unless they are eating, drinking, swimming, or taking a photo outdoors, as long as the appropriate physical distance is maintained.
Disney is already easing other restrictions as temperature controls are removed on May 16 and physical distancing measures are reduced.
Cuomo Says New York Reviewing Guidance
Some governors want to study the guidelines before deciding whether to agree to them.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is one of them, saying the state has “always relied on the facts and science to guide us through the worst of this pandemic and our successful reopening.”
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio welcomed the new CDC guidelines but also said they need to be reviewed, according to the New York Times.
A North Carolina governor spokesman Roy Cooper also said the state’s indoor mask rule will remain in place for the time being, the Times reported. In California, Governor Gavin Newsom has already announced that the state mask mandate will remain in place until June 15, if the number of cases continues to decline.
Still, the Times reported that at least seven Democratic-led states began lifting mask mandates the Thursday following the CDC’s announcement: Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.
“This is a hell of a perk for people who were resentful about that mask,” said Washington governor Jay Inslee, who started a meeting Thursday by removing his mask. “This is a really good reason to get vaccinated. This shot is a ticket to Mask Freedom. “
Several states headed by Republican governors, such as Texas, have already relaxed mask rules.
The new CDC guidelines state that people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no longer need to wear masks or physical distances regardless of the location or size of the gathering.
Walensky said there were some clear exceptions. Those who have symptoms should keep wearing masks, the CDC says, and everyone should wear masks when traveling on planes, buses, or trains, and in hospitals, homeless shelters, and prisons.
“Science shows that when you are fully vaccinated you are protected,” Walensky said, saying the tour guide will be updated soon.
CDC Shift surprised many in the public health field
The CDC’s announcement surprised many health professionals who expected a federal mask policy for at least several months, according to The New York Times.
The paper interviewed 723 epidemiologists between April 28 and May 10 – before the CDC announced the new mask tour.
When asked how long Americans would have to wear masks indoors with people whose vaccination status they did not know, only 5% of respondents said Americans would no longer need to wear masks indoors by summer.
I am still stunned by the CDC decision. Yes, vaccinated people are well protected and do not pose a threat to others. But trusting the honor system – won’t unvaccinated people pretend they are vaccinated and stop wearing masks? What about our commitment to children and the immunocompromised? pic.twitter.com/Iq2TUW2VKn
– Leana Wen, MD (@DrLeanaWen) May 14, 2021
The survey found that 26% think that masks should be worn from now on in such situations, 26% said that they last for more than a year, 29% said that they were one year and 15% said that they would last for half a year last.
When asked whether an outdoor mask should be worn in large quantities outdoors, 88% of epidemiologists said yes, even for fully vaccinated people.
Many of those surveyed found that masks protect unvaccinated people and people with underlying health conditions.
“Until community transmission is lower, wearing masks will protect the entire community and other people in the room,” Julia Raifman, ScD, assistant professor of public health at Boston University, told the Times.
WebMD Health News
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Insider: “Walmart, Target, and Starbucks say they keep mask mandates despite the relaxing CDC guidance for vaccinated people. This is how businesses react to the new guidelines. “
United Food and Commercial Workers: “The CDC Mask Policy for Vaccinated Workers must recognize the challenges that essential retail and food workers still face.”
Retail Industry Leaders Association: “Retailers want consistency in mask management.”
Walt Disney World News Today: “UPDATE: CEO Bob Chapek specifically points out changes to the Walt Disney World Mask Policy this summer.”
New York Governor’s Office: “Statement from Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on CDC’s New Mask Wearing and Social Distancing Guidelines for Vaccinated Individuals.”
The New York Times: “Some states are lifting mask mandates for people who have been vaccinated, while others are cautious about the new CDC guidelines.”
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