WASHINGTON — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to soon recommend that some people vaccinated against COVID-19 resume wearing face masks indoors due to the alarming spread of the delta variant, according to House and Senate aides.
White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said Tuesday that the change on mask guidance is due to evolving data on the highly contagious variant. She emphasized that the three currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines provide ample protection against the virus but wearing a mask can help prevent its spread and save lives.
“The reality is we are dealing with a much different strain of the virus than we were earlier in the spring,” Psaki said.
The new guidelines are likely to apply to vaccinated individuals who live in areas of the country where COVID-19 transmission remains high, according to news reports.
The agency is also expected to recommend that all students in grades K-12 wear a mask in the classroom, regardless of their vaccination status. The CDC declined to provide any comment ahead of a 3 p.m. EDT news conference.
The CDC made the decision after considering new data. National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci briefed President Joe Biden on the change Tuesday morning.
The delta variant has caused an uptick in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks among the unvaccinated, leading many public health experts to fear an even greater spike in cases in the coming weeks and months.
In May, the CDC said fully vaccinated Americans could ditch masks indoors due to low transmission rates across the country and high rates of vaccinations. But in recent weeks, vaccinations have plateaued, and just 60 percent of American adults are fully vaccinated. Polling indicates getting the remaining 40 percent across the finish line could be a slow crawl, as many unvaccinated Americans say they are not interested in getting a shot.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 vaccines are only allowed for kids ages 12 and up. Earlier this month, the CDC said all fully vaccinated school-age children could go maskless in the classroom, and unvaccinated students should mask up. Soon after the agency released this guidance, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended all students, regardless of vaccination status, mask up in the classroom to help prevent transmission.
Although children are less likely to be hospitalized or die as a result of COVID-19 compared to adults, physicians warn children can still suffer from the long-term effects of the disease for months after recovery. Also, the rapid spread of COVID-19 among unvaccinated children could lead to the creation of new, harmful variants.
