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On Tuesday, the CDC issued new guidelines and said outdoor activities are safe without masks regardless of whether a person is vaccinated as long as people are either alone or with immediate family members. And fully vaccinated people can gather safely outdoors without masks in small groups. The new guidance is part of an update from the agency on what activities are safest for Americans, depending on whether they are fully vaccinated. The CDC director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky said, “Over the past year, we have spent a lot of time telling Americans what they cannot do, what they should not do. Today, I’m going to tell you some of the things you can do if you are fully vaccinated”. People who are fully vaccinated should also feel comfortable without face coverings outside with other small groups.

President Joe Biden used the new guidelines to make the case for why people should get vaccinated if they haven’t done so already. On Tuesday, President Biden delivered his words from the White House North Lawn. He said, “This is another great reason to go get vaccinated, now. Yes, vaccines are about saving your life, but also the lives of the people around you. They’re also about helping to get us back to closer to normal”. Fully vaccinated individuals may safely go without masks when dining at outdoor restaurants with people from other households. The CDC also said that activity is less safe for non-vaccinated people, who should remain wearing masks as much as possible when dining outdoors. But, the CDC still recommends wearing a mask for other activities even for vaccinated individuals.

The CDC said those include attending crowded outdoor events, such as concerts or sporting events, attending full-capacity indoor religious services, and working out in indoor gyms. Such activities are not considered safe for people who remain unvaccinated. Dr. William Schaffner said, “This appears to be the CDC’s attempt to provide some reward for people who have been vaccinated, and to help persuade people who still are unvaccinated”. But Schaffner added that the guidance is so dense and it may be not easy for many people to use it. Dr. James McDeavitt said, “This is pretty complicated. You almost have to keep these guidelines with you to figure out. Frankly, I think what we’ve seen is that the CDC recommendations have sort of followed what the general public is doing and hasn’t led what the general public is doing”.