In pandemic milestone, the top US health agency lifted the mask-wearing guidelines for people who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus infection. President Joe Biden said, 'It’s a great day' and praised the US CDC’s new guidelines.
On Thursday, May 13 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the requirement of masks is removed for fully vaccinated people, also warned those who are not vaccinated, and advised them to protect themselves.
While making the announcement CDC director Rochelle Walensky said, “Anyone who is fully vaccinated can participate in indoor and outdoor activities, large or small, without wearing a mask or social distancing.”
“If you are fully vaccinated, you can start doing the things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic,” she added.
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Speaking from the white house, United States President Joe Biden declared a major victory and said it is a great milestone in the fight against the deadly virus. America has witnessed around 580,000 covid fatalities till now.
Biden said, “Just a few hours ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that they are no longer recommending that fully vaccinated people need to wear masks. This recommendation holds true whether you are inside or outside.”
“I think it is a great milestone. A great day,” he said.
In the emotional address, Biden further said, “a day will come when the memory of the loved one you lost will bring a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye.”
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Meanwhile, it is still necessary for people who are not vaccinated to wear masks. On this President Biden urged people to protect themselves and said, “Look, we have gotten this far; please protect yourself until you get to the finish line. Because as great as this announcement is today, we don’t want to let up. We all know how tough this virus has been. The safest thing for the country is for everyone to get vaccinated.”
However, according to CDC’s guidelines, masks may still be required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation. Also, fully vaccinated international travelers arriving in the US still need to get tested within three days of their flight or show documentation of recovery from coronavirus infection in the last three months.