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We're starting with a look at some new guidance and some questions about it when it comes to wearing masks in the United States.
Late last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said most Americans who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can now stop wearing masks whether they're indoors or outdoors. And that they no longer need to keep their distance from each other.
One thing to point out here is that this is guidance from the CDC, it's not national law. Many U.S. states did not require wearing masks whether people were vaccinated or not but several states that did have mask mandates removed them after the new CDC guidance came out.
Until last week, the CDC had advised that even Americans who'd been vaccinated needed to keep masks on when they were indoors or in crowds. The health agency said they still might be carrying the virus.
Now, it says the latest evidence indicates its unlikely the vaccinated people are carrying the virus so they can be mask free. Publix, Starbucks, Walmart and Walt Disney World were among the companies that changed their mask policies following the new guidance.
They created some confusion in some other businesses which are trying to decide what their policies are for customers and employees returning to work. And in schools where many students are too young to eligible for an authorized emergency use vaccine. The CDC says schools should keep mask mandates in place.
None of the vaccines has been shown to be 100 percent effective against coronavirus. There've been a number of breakthrough cases recorded when people who were fully vaccinated still tested positive for the disease. And America's union of registered nurses has spoken out against the CDC's decision, saying it's not based on science, doesn't protect public health and threatens medical patients and workers across America.
The union says it's too soon to relax mask mandates. CDC data shows that new coronavirus cases in the U.S. have dropped dramatically since their peak in January. Experts say that this is because of vaccinations and natural immunities in people who've already had the disease.
