The CDC is expected to unveil new guidelines on masking soon, as patience for COVID-19 precautions wanes, in yet another update to the country's COVID-19 protocols.
It's been difficult to keep track of the ever-changing guidelines regarding the virus over the last two years, and this newest change may add to the confusion. And while there have been national guidelines, most local and state municipalities have taken it upon themselves to adjust the rules when necessary.
COVID-19 is an infectious disease, and doesn't respond to boundaries the way some might think, said Dr. Richard Carpiano, a professor of public policy at UC Riverside, on KCBS Radio's "Ask an Expert" with Holly Quan and Jason Brooks on Friday.
This makes the inconsistent and regional policy practices of different cities and states difficult to keep up with, he said.
"When you have these patchworks it’s still important to keep in mind the regional areas people are going to be traveling from one place to another, from communities to work, shopping to other sorts of activities," he said. "As well as the fact that California is just a big travel destination."
States like California that have been stricter than others may see the new CDC update as an opportunity to loosen things, but in the past, California has had a more conservative approach in these situations.
Along with the update in masking guidelines, the CDC is also expected to release new COVID-19 metrics on Friday.
While it appears as if overall cases are going down, based on current metrics from the agency, testing is still relatively high and cases are still relatively high in many California counties, said Carpiano.
It may take local officials a few days to determine how to respond to the CDC’s new guidelines on masking, or in some cases, it might even be left up to businesses to make the decision, he said.
"There are lots of different caveats, and lots of different ways a fairly straightforward guideline from the CDC could be adopted and translated into policies all throughout the state," said Carpiano.
While masking may no longer be as strictly required in a broad sense going forward, people should still exercise judgement based on their situation and determine whether masking is right for them.
Those who interact with the public as part of their profession, or work with children on a regular basis, or have someone in their family who is immunocompromised, should consider keep their masks on often and socialize outside when possible.
"Even though numbers are coming down, still maintaining those sorts of safety precautions is still, I think, one of the best ways to ensure safety," he said.
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