The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to announce Thursday that fully vaccinated individuals do not need to wear face masks in most indoor settings, a source briefed on the matter told the New York Daily News.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the CDC, is set to elaborate on the new mask guidelines during a briefing with reporters at 2 p.m. Eastern time, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity to preempt the announcement.
Some specifics about the new guidelines were not immediately known, and the source cautioned that the CDC could still recommend continued mask-wearing in some specialized indoor settings, such as hospitals and airplanes.
The CDC considers an individual to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after receiving their final shot.
The latest update comes just over two weeks after the CDC revised its coronavirus precaution guidelines to say that fully vaccinated individuals do not need to wear face masks outdoors, unless they’re in a crowded setting.
The relaxation of mask guidelines comes as the Biden administration is on track to meet its goal of having administered at least one coronavirus vaccine dose to 70% of American adults.
