I’m curious what people think of the CDC’s new recommendation that fully vaccinated individuals can stop wearing masks even in many inside, public places. I have to admit it surprised me, and I’m glad California doesn’t seem interested in adopting the advice as policy until at least June 15 when we officially “fully reopen.” It’s not that I don’t think fully vaccinated people can or should be allowed in public without a mask, it’s more that I’m not ready to go there myself yet.
I’m all for the new guidance that people can be outside without masks. The science has shown that it safe for so long but the policy has lagged significantly behind those findings. When policy doesn’t reflect science people start to lose faith in the system. Information about outdoor transmission is still misleading on the CDC’s site (saying that less than 10% of transmission occurs outside is blatantly misleading when most scientists believe the number is less that 1%). We need to be embracing the safety that outdoors affords. If we truly did that, even kids could find some new freedom outside with friends.
I’ve started walking, running and biking outside without my mask. It clearly makes people uncomfortable, especially when I pass them running, but I’m holding strong. I’m fully vaccinated and I’m outside passing them for a couple seconds at most (and never that close). We need to start moving on with our lives in ways that are safe.
But the idea that I can go grocery shopping without my mask? I don’t even know if I’m there yet. It’s not that I don’t think the science supports the fact that I can (especially in an area with vaccination rates as high as ours and community spread as low as ours) I just don’t know if I can get out of my own head enough to do it. I also have kids who have to wear masks and when I’m with them I’ll probably be wearing mine like they have to wear theirs. It only seems fair.
I know there is all sorts of worry about people who are not vaccinated going places without masks. I understand the concern, especially in places where large swaths of the adult population don’t plan to get vaccinated, but I guess I assume they will do what they want anyway. They clearly don’t care about public health guidelines and they will never be vaccinated… if we wait for them it will be a long time before we can make public health policy that reflects what vaccinated individuals can safely do. I guess community spread in those less vaccinated areas will always be higher, and I’m glad I don’t live in one of them. A lot of those places already did away with mask mandates anyway…
I don’t know. I think it was the right move, because the science backs people making these decisions for themselves at this point. But I’m glad my state isn’t putting that decision in my hands just yet. I don’t think I’m ready to be the only person in the supermarket without her mask.
I’m on board with the recommendation and, since I’m fully vaccinated, have been going out without my mask.
And I’m the hyper-cautious person who won’t let her kids go to in-person school, which has been fully open 5 days/week for quite a while.
In fact, I won’t even let my (non-vaccinated) child attend the outdoor and masked field trips the school has scheduled.
But vaccinated people going maskless? I’m totally in favor and will let my kids do so once they’re fully vaccinated ( which won’t be for a while since the vaccine isn’t approved for their age group)
And I guess you don’t worry about your kids being less safe in some circumstances now because they aren’t really going anywhere or doing anything…
I dislike the new guidance. I would be for it if it was accompanied by requirements that people have to show proof of vaccination. But since that doesn’t seem tenable in America, I think the guidance just makes public spaces less safe for children. So if vaccinated people can be unmasked in public, what that really means is everyone can be unmasked in public and places that I considered safe for my kids I will no longer consider safe. I think this guidance was really irresponsible because it is going to put a lot of pressure on states and local governments to lift masking requirements. Businesses might not want to require proof of vaccination either because the CDC hasn’t recommended it and they may get a lot of pushback. And that just removes ALL incentives to vaccinate! So either they just require proof of vaccination or they should say that the mask mandate can’t be lifted until the vaccine is available to children or the county reaches a certain level of vaccination, like 70 percent. I’m so confused by these recommendations! Clearly they won’t work in the US.
I totally understand where you are coming from. I think they are putting out that guidance to entice people to be vaccinated but I understand the fear that unvaccinated people will just walk around without masks as if they are vaccinated. There aren’t really spaces I take my kids that would feel less comfortable now (I don’t really take them anywhere inside), especially with our numbers here in California. But I do see what you’re saying. I don’t know what the right answer is. I feel like unvaccinated people are going to do what they are going to do regardless so we have to start figuring out how to move on with our vaccinated lives. I’m glad it’s not my job to make these decisions…
It’s funny. As soon as I wrote that I asked myself where I would take my kids anyway. And I don’t actually take them anyplace except maybe very occasionally a Starbucks. But I guess I was looking forward to maybe actually taking them places this summer because things are going so well in LA. Maybe inside to pick up food to eat outside? And now I don’t know.
I agree that I’m frustrated that the guidance doesn’t come with some form of vaccine status check. It would make public places less safe for kids, and also for those of us who are getting vaccinated but were not in a priority group. I got the first vaccine appointment I could and will not be fully vaccinated until early June. So far my state (MA) has not loosened indoor restrictions but I will be very frustrated if basic errands get more risky when I have tried my hardest to get vaccinated quickly. My kids are super excited for a trip to Target in a few weeks to get stuff for camp (they have been nowhere so picking out sunscreen is apparently a treat) and I would hate for that to feel even more risky. I am optimistic about longer term vaccine trends here, but this guidance just seems at least a month premature.
I think you’re right that it’s probably about a month early (at least), but if the purpose was to incentivize getting vaccinated I understand why they pulled it up. I guess they trust that the people who aren’t following the rules anyway will continue to do so, and the people who are will maybe now want to get vaccinated… Public health is really hard. I’m glad it’s not my job.
I . . . generally feel positive about the new guidelines. I am not sure how I feel about unmasked grocery store trips but the logical side of me says: really, why not? As a vaccinated person I am VERY unlikely to get ill from someone at the grocery store, even if they are shedding covid. I am planning to start indoor dining (with just adults vaccinated) and am glad it now also feels ‘allowed’ (even though it certainly was allowed in purple/red state before).
From a societal level, I am less sure what is the right thing. I am also glad it is not my job to make these decisions.
I think it’s easy for me to not worry about what this entails because I can make my own choices about where to go and what kind of exposure to put myself in. It’s a lot harder for people who work in stores and in other situations where unvaccinated people might now go without a mask. But I guess I assumed they were already doing that… Maybe I’m just ignorant. I live in such a liberal area that I feel like I have NO IDEA what is actually happening in the rest of the country. I mean I have a very idea, but it’s not nuanced at all. I feel really ignorant.
I’m guessing people will be wearing masks in SF looooong after it’s required. They are already doing it outside.
Fucking bullshit. My kids aren’t vaccinated yet and many eligible people aren’t either. Vaccines aren’t 100%, we know vaxxed people are getting covid, and the extent to which they can transmit is unknown, so even they should still wear masks to protect others. And since there’s no way to know if people are vaxxed now unvaxxed covidiots will be going maskless everywhere risking everyone’s lives. And variants…total fucking disaster. What about schools??? This whole give people an incentive to get vaxxed idea is a total fuckup bc all that will happen is everyone goes maskless.
In California (where I know you live) a lot of people are vaccinated and our numbers are very low. I can understand if you think it’s bullshit to make these recommendations at a national level – do you feel the same in our state and/or your area? Sometimes I have to remind myself that what is happening here in CA is really what we’re hoping will happen nationwide. and that we should be doing things like this first to see how it goes, numbers wise, so that other states can learn from us. I’ll be curious to see what Newsom does. My guess is, with the recall moving foward, he will fall in line with the CDC’s guidelines.
Well I’m afraid the numbers are low partially because we are required to wear masks inside. A lot of people are vaccinated, but it is far less than 70 percent so I just don’t know if we can rely on that. I think SF may be in a better place because it doesn’t have a lot of children and probably has very low vaccine hesitancy. But in LA, less than half of adults are fully vaccinated (and obviously an even smaller percentage of the total population). I don’t think removing the masking requirements will cause a fourth wave or anything like that, but I do think it makes things more dangerous for some people (children, immunocompromised people, people who haven’t been able to get the vaccine because of work conflicts, etc.). In any event, I don’t think the governor is going to remove even the OUTDOOR mask mandate until June 15, and the indoor one will be even later. It will still be before kids can get vaccinated, but at least it gives us time to vaccinate more of the adult and teenage population.
In CA right now you can walk, run or bike ALONE without a mask on. Is that correct? I think that is the new policy in SF and we are always in line, or stricter, than the state.
I just checked SF’s page and 59% of people over 16 in SF have completed their vaccination series and 75% have gotten their first dose. So we’re doing really well (very little vaccine hesitancy here). And you’re right we have fewer kids that most places (all major US cities I think). I’m not sure about the surrounding counties, which are important because people cross between them constantly. It’s probably high but certainly not that high.
I think Sarah is right that it would have made more sense to wait about a month for this. But then again, the purpose was probably to incentivize getting vaccinated. I’m very glad these aren’t my decisions to make…
My area hasn’t embraced this yet either so my thoughts are mostly theoretical. I think for me the biggest thing is that it feels like yet again kids are getting the short end of the stick. Little kids have to wear masks all day in 90 plus degree heat at camp despite data but adults can do whatever they want? Despite kids being reasonably low risk for poor outcomes themselves? It’s just wrong. I’d rather we dropped masks for all age groups outside and kept them a little longer inside. I am a very data driven person and I’m pretty comfortable reevaluating my own risk now that my husband and I are vaccinated but – still probably not going to do indoor dining or be inside massless with a crowd super soon but will get together in small groups with people I know are also vaccinated OR very low risk. At a point very soon I’m going to be very uninterested in my kids having their life further disrupted to protect high risk people who are not willing to do the right thing and be vaccinated themselves. I know one or two people who have “questions” about whether or not they should be vaccinated because of specific circumstances but the time to ask those questions is NOW. Not wondering about it for ages as an excuse (I am fairly confident they are all going to be advised to get the shot if they actually talk to a dr.) with that said I do know some people who are still really terrified despite being vaccinated and basically never leaving their house even for activities I would have considered very low risk in the first place. And those people are going to struggle as a result of this, which is sad. I hope we have a real national conversation about mental health and when to talk to a professional because I think honest to goodness agoraphobia is happening a lot more than we think as a result of the past year or so.
And unfortunately we have already seen how bad school systems are at risk calculation so I do worry this is going to back fire on kids ability to go to school consistently this fall even without a rise in cases. I’d definitely wear a mask myself all day every day if it helps my kids stay in in person school and prevents this awful simultaneous teaching they are doing to accommodate kids still at home.
Yeah, I do think this will make it harder for the people who were already terrified despite being vaccinated. I feel for essential employees too.
And yes! Kids should be able to go to camp outside without their masks! We started letting my daughters’ friends hand out in our backyard without masks on. It’s always SO WINDY back there, so it feels fine. In the garage (with the door open) we make them wear masks. Even that feels foolish at this point but it’s what we’re still doing…
If this f*cks up my kids going back to school in the fall I will be f*cking livid.
I agree with this. Let’s take off our masks outside!
“ If this f*cks up my kids going back to school in the fall I will be f*cking livid.” – 100% agree
I’m all for it. It’s completely supported by science – we’ve lagged behind for far too long. It’s basically how people have been living in my area anyway. Colorado just updated their mask guidance today as well (no longer a mandate at all, only guidance). Basically, if you’re vaccinated, you don’t have to wear a mask anywhere anymore, except on public transportation and healthcare facilities (or in an individual business that still requires it). Our kids are playing soccer and baseball without masks (and fans don’t have to wear masks), which is awesome for them as well.
I really don’t understand ppl who are worried about the breakthrough cases. The VAST majority of them are asymptomatic, and a few have very mild symptoms. That’s it. 100% not a reason to keep shit shut down and make people wear masks forever.
I’m not worried about breakthrough cases for healthy vaccinated people. I’m worried about unvaccinated people taking off their masks because no one is stopping them and infecting children and people for whom the vaccine is less effective due to health reasons. I would welcome vaccinated people taking off their masks if there was a way to verify vaccine status.
What Annie said. This means I have to be careful with my kids even longer. I’m glad this was announced the day after my son got his first shot so he’ll have at least a little protection at the drug store in 3 weeks. Swearwording antivaxx antimaskers.
And I really hope we have required vaccinations fall semester.
Fully vaccinated, in CA county with good vaccination rate. Not ready to quit masks around people I do not know well.
How many people did you know this past winter that got the flu or a cold? Zero that I knew.
There are under 12’s in my family who cannot be vaccinated and I will mask in solidarity. Maybe not double mask however.
Hope CA doesn’t rush this fence but waits and watches the results in a very few weeks from other states with lower vaccination rates.
Outdoor masking hasn’t made sense in months and people mostly didn’t do it where I live, while indoor mask compliance had been 98% (I don’t wear a mask outside).
Ending indoor masking seems too early to me! I was eligible to get vaccinated slightly before the general public was eligible in my state and I’m still in my two week waiting period. I went to pick up something at a store today and got yelled at outside when I stopped to put my mask on that I didn’t need to wear a mask anymore (which isn’t even true here, we are still supposed to follow the rules of the business). I had never been yelled at before and I am still not fully vaccinated. My brother (an in-person worker) got vaccinated the first day he was eligible in his state and his second shot isn’t until Monday.
I think it would have made sense to do the outdoor guidance, which was overdue, and chilled out a bit on indoors.
Big nope for us. We’re supposed to trust our fellow Americans about their vaccination status? Looking around at the behavior of people across the country over these past few years, I truly do not see from where I’m supposed to find the faith that antimaskers will be truthful about being antivaxxers when they can just drop their masks and blend in with the vaccinated. It’s not like we can tell if an adult is a fully vaccinated person or not. We have vulnerable unvaccinated children, we have vulnerable adult friends who are not permitted to get the vaccine because of their fragile medical state. I just don’t see the need for this rush to drop masks indoors. Outdoors, sure. But we’re going to stay masked for a while, at least until there is something for the kids. Besides the masks are so helpful for fending off other germs and allergies, I don’t see a downside. I gave birth wearing a mask, wearing it to run errands is a piece of cake.
I’m all over the place with this and I think it has more to do with being used to wearing a mask for the last year.
I’m curious to see what happens a month from now as the mask requirements are relaxed. In our area, most businesses are encouraging masks, but I’ve seen some people in all the stores without. This weekend, my husband and I are in visiting a smaller town, and it’s like COVID doesn’t exist here! I’m feeling weird that I’m wearing a mask, when 90% of the people aren’t, but I’m not vaccinated yet, so I’m following the recommendation.