PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The CDC said Tuesday that people who are fully vaccinated can skip the mask at some outdoor gatherings.
However, some Pennsylvania health officials believe the CDC is sending a mixed message.
"I think they could have gone a little bit further...and addressed some of the issues," Bucks County health director Dr. David Damsker said about the new guidance.
Among its recommendations, the CDC said that if someone who is fully vaccinated is out running, walking or riding bikes with people from their own household, they don't need to wear a mask.
If attending a small outdoor gathering with a mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated people, those who are fully vaccinated can shed the mask, but people who haven't gotten the vaccine should still wear one.
If outside in a large crowd, like at a sporting event or a parade, the CDC said fully-vaccinated people should continue to wear a mask.
Damsker said people should be getting vaccinated, but he says he thinks the CDC's messaging diminishes vaccination.
The CDC's updated guidance said vaccinated people can go to the gym while wearing a mask, or they can go out to eat, things Damsker says a lot of people are already doing, whether vaccinated or not.
"I'm not sure that's a strong enough message, but I do believe it's on the way there," Damsker said.
"I think they needed to look a little bit further and say, 'What can we really do to differentiate between those two groups?' So people who are on the fence about getting vaccinated would be more likely to get it."
Damsker said he hopes the CDC continues to gather data and give a more powerful message for the need to get a vaccine.
"(Give) people a kick in the butt to say 'Hey, if you're on the fence, this is a really good reason why you should get vaccinated,' " he said.
Philadelphia health officials have said the CDC guidance isn't different than what they've had in place, but they say bottom line, get vaccinated. According to the city, if you're outdoors around a lot of other people, vaccinated or not, wear a mask.
