Tired of wearing a mask? If so, you may have no longer to wait than next week for U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to change.
According to NBC News, several sources familiar with the matter said the centers are expected to relax indoor masking guidelines soon, possibly next week. During a White House Covid-19 Response Team briefing Wednesday, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky did not provide any specific information about when guidelines would change.
“As we consider future metrics, which will be updated soon, we continue to recognize the importance of not just cases, which continue to result in substantial or high community transmission in over 97 percent of our counties in the country, but critically, medically severe disease that leads to hospitalizations,” she said. “We want to give people a break from things like things like mask wearing when these metrics are better, and then be able to reach for them should things worsen. If and when we update our guidance, we will communicate that clearly and it will be based on the data and the science.”
According to NBC News’ sources, the CDC is “considering a new benchmark for whether masks are needed,” based on the level of severe disease and hospitalizations in a given community. These sources said that while the White House has been eager for updated CDC guidelines regarding masks, it has not wanted to put apparent pressure on the centers.
The White House declined to comment on the issue, and the CDC didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC.
“If you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, to maximize protection and prevent possibly spreading COVID-19 to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission,” state the current CDC mask guidelines. There are further guidelines based on age, risk and vaccination status.
Already, cases have started to decrease in most states following a surge that began late last year with the spread of the omicron variant. This month, around a dozen states dropped various mask mandates, along with some private companies.
When asked last week about the governors’ decision to end mandates, President Joe Biden said he thought the move was probably premature.
States making changes to their mask rules is “entirely understandable,” Fauci said Tuesday on MSNBC. “At the local level, there is a strong feeling of need to get back to normality.”
Even as COVID-19 metrics improve, Walensky said there will still be times when people should mask up.
“There are still very important times to continue to wear your mask,” she said. “If you are symptomatic or feeling unwell, you should wear a mask. If you are in the 10 days after a COVID diagnosis, you should wear a mask. If you are exposed to someone with COVID-19 and are quarantining, you should wear a mask.”
An update on masks is expected before Biden delivers a March 1 State of the Union address.
“We all share the same goal,” Walensky said Wednesday. “To get to a point where COVID-19 is no longer disrupting our daily lives. A time when it won’t be a constant crisis.”
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