The CDC states that some vaccinated Americans will need to wear masks again

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday that it would revise a decision made just two months ago. People vaccinated against the coronavirus should resume wearing masks in some public indoor spaces in countries where the virus is rampant.

CDC staff also required universal masking from teachers, staff, students, and school visitors, regardless of vaccination status or community transmission of the virus. Nonetheless, schools will need to return to face-to-face learning in the fall if additional precautions are taken.

The recommendation is another terrible twist in the American pandemic process, a war-tired concession that the virus outweighs vaccination efforts. Agency movements include an increase in the number of cases in states such as Florida and Missouri. Breakthrough infectious disease Of a more contagious delta variant among fully immunized people.

“The Delta variant shows a daily willingness to betray us,” CDC director Rochelle Walensky said at a press conference on Tuesday.

The CDC states that Americans should resume wearing masks in areas with more than 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 7 days, or more than 8 percent of tests are against infection during that period. He said he was positive. Health officials need to reassess these figures weekly and change local regulations accordingly, officials said.

By these standards, for example, all residents of Florida, Arkansas, and Louisiana are required to wear masks indoors. Almost two-thirds of US counties are eligible, many concentrated in the South.

Authorities have stated that even Americans vaccinated in surge-free areas, if they or someone in their family has a disordered immune system or is at risk of severe illness, or someone in their family is vaccinated He said he might consider wearing a mask in a public indoor environment if he has not received it.

This includes vaccinated parents of children under the age of 12 who are not currently eligible for shots.

CDC officials were persuaded by new scientific evidence that even vaccinated people could become infected and possibly carry the virus in large quantities as well as unvaccinated people, Warren said. Dr. Ski admitted at a press conference.

Data from some states and other countries show that the mutant behaves differently from previous versions of the coronavirus, she added.

“This is not a light decision we made at the CDC,” Dr. Warensky added. “This weighs heavily on me,” she said, as Americans are tired and frustrated, and their mental health challenges are increasing.

White House staff after agency announcement I was instructed to wear the mask again indoors..Biden administration Considering requiring all federal officials to be vaccinated Or subject to regular tests and workplace restrictions, similar requirements imposed in New York City and California.

“Unvaccinated causes pandemics and they are causing great confusion,” Biden told reporters on Tuesday. “The more we learn about this virus and the Delta variant, the more we need to worry and worry. And we certainly know only one thing. The other 100 million people have been vaccinated. If so, we would be in a completely different world. “

The CDC needed to revisit its recommendations, said Dr. Anthony S. Forch, the administration’s chief adviser on pandemics. “I don’t think this is just flip-flop back and forth. They are dealing with new information provided by science.”

Vaccines are very effective against the worst consequences of infection with any form of coronavirus, including hospitalization and death. However, the new guidelines are explicitly applied to both unvaccinated and vaccinated, largely from the standpoint of institutions since May that vaccinated people do not need to wear masks in most indoor spaces. It deviates.

These recommendations, which seemed to suggest an elimination of the pandemic, suggest that vaccinated people rarely get infected, rarely get the virus, and do not require masking. It was based on previous data.

But that was before the arrival of the Delta variant. Delta variants now account for the majority of infections in the United States. And it may be followed by others. “The big concern is that the next mutant that may appear (which may be only a few mutations apart) may evade the vaccine,” she said.

Whether the mask becomes ubiquitous again can depend on regional surveillance and outreach efforts that vary from state to state. Many Americans simply don’t know what the infection and positive test rates in their area are every week.

“This is the right move,” said Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious disease specialist at the Bellevue Hospital Center in New York, based on scientists learning about the ability of delta mutants to cause breakthrough infections. I did.

The American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association (two major teachers’ unions) strongly supported the CDC’s transition to universal masking in schools.

Randy Weingarten, President of AFT, said: “Regardless of vaccination status, masking in schools is needed as an important way to deal with the changing reality of viral infections, and more Americans over the age of 12 are vaccinated. “

Other union officials said the guidance was not well-developed and could not protect front-line and essential workers in supermarkets, retail stores and meat packaging factories.

Mark Perone, chairman of the United Food and Commercial Workers’ Union, said:

It is unclear whether state and local government officials are willing to follow government guidance. And there should be resistance from pandemic-tired Americans, especially in regions of the country where vaccination rates are low and concerns about the virus are low.

Some jurisdictions, such as Los Angeles County and St. Louis County, have already reinstated their mask obligations in response to the growing number of incidents. However, officials in some communities in Los Angeles County have stated that they will not enforce their obligations. The Missouri Attorney General then filed a proceeding against the city of St. Louis to suspend the measure.

Companies may also have new mask recommendations that complicate their plans to return to offices where the virus is endemic and require new obligations for employees to vaccinate.

For example, the Washington Post said on Tuesday that workers would need proof of vaccination as a condition of employment when they return to their offices in September after hearing concerns from many employees about the emergence of coronavirus variants. Stated.

Dr. Warrensky said at a news conference that if a company believes such an obligation would be beneficial, it “encourages it to do so.” “We are, in fact, encouraging all activities that motivate further vaccination.”

Most recently, a CDC spokesman said last week that authorities had no plans to change masking guidance unless there was a major change in science. Researchers are now beginning to reveal disturbing data.

The delta variant is believed to be more than twice as contagious as the original version of the virus.Some studies now suggest that people infected with the mutant carry it. About 1000 times more viruses They can remain infected longer than those infected with other variants.

CDC officials may be upset by a new study showing that even vaccinated people can carry large amounts of the mutant virus to the nose and throat and spread it to others. It suggests that.

Large so-called viral loads may help explain breakthrough infection reports in groups of vaccinated people. For example, after July 4th Independence Day, outbreaks in Provincetown, Massachusetts have expanded to at least 765, according to Provincial Town Health Commission Chair Steve Katulinis.

Of the 469 cases reported alone in Massachusetts, 74% were fully immunized, Katsurinis said.

After weddings, family reunions, and dinner parties, small clusters of breakthrough infections have been reported. Some of the infected had symptoms, but the majority were not seriously ill, suggesting that vaccination immunity quickly suppressed the virus.

Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health, said the vaccine was “not a force field.” Instead, vaccination trains the immune system to recognize cells infected with the virus.

“The term’breakthrough infection’may be a bit misleading,” she said. “It’s probably more realistic to talk about the’breakthrough illness’and how much it’s happening. “

Dr. Warrensky acknowledged that some vaccinated people could be infected with the delta mutant and could be transmitted, but claimed it was a rare event. So far, officials have found that vaccinated people make up only 3 percent of hospitalizations.

Dr. Gounder and other experts said it was unknown how often vaccinated people would infect others with the virus, but scientists predicted it because the original virus had spread last year. May be more common than.

Vaccinated people, especially those with weak immunity and other high-risk people, should consider wearing masks even in areas with low infection rates. “Masks can effectively reduce the amount of virus we inhale and prevent getting sick, so they enhance the effects of our vaccine. In almost everywhere in the United States, it’s a good idea. is.”

Infections are increasing rapidly in the United States, with an average of more than 56,000 cases per day as of Tuesday, more than four times the number a month ago. Hospitalization is also increasing in almost every state, with deaths averaging 275 per day.

Federal authorities need to clarify a clear plan for testing and long-term masking, experts said.

“The question is, what is masking offramp?” Asked Dr. Nuzzo. “If we want to keep asking people to step up, we need to give them a vision of what we are working on.”

Ali Mokudad, an epidemiologist and former CDC scientist at the University of Washington, said the CDC should have simply instructed all Americans to wear masks indoors.

“Looking at the country, infection rates are rising in all states,” said Dr. Mokudad. “So why not say,’Everyone in the United States needs to wear a mask indoors?’ The whole country is on fire. ”

The press was contributed by Roni Karin Rabin of New York, Neil McFerker, Daniel E. Slotnick, Annie Karni of Washington and Cheryl Stolberg.