CDC updates COVID-19 outdoor mask guidance

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance on mask wearing outdoors after being fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

According to the agency’s website, those who’ve been vaccinated can gather and conduct activities outdoors without masks except in crowded settings and venues. The guidelines previously did not directly address wearing a mask outdoors when fully vaccinated.

As already reported, the CDC has already loosened restrictions of those who’ve been fully vaccinated, saying that two weeks after the final dose of the vaccine, can travel at low risk to themselves. These people are free to travel the U.S. without COVID-19 testing or post-travel self-quarantine so long as they continue to take COVID-19 precautions while travelling such as wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, socially distancing, and frequent hand washing.

When it comes to worldwide travel, the CDC recommendations for fully vaccinated people are:

• No COVID-19 tests prior to travel is necessary unless required at the destination
• No need to self-quarantine after returning to the U.S. unless required by a state or local jurisdiction
• Those coming to the U.S. must still have a negative COVID-19 test three to five days before returning and be tested again three to five days after returning
• COVID-19 precautions should still be taken while travelling internationally

Those who are still unvaccinated should still get tested one to three days before domestic travel and again three to five days after travel and should stay home and self-quarantine for seven days after travel or 10 days if they don’t get tested after their trip.