CDC on new masking guidelines

With widespread population immunity, the overall risk of severe disease is now generally lower.

CDC Dir. Rochelle Walensky on new masking guidelines from the CDC.

• The CDC released updated guidelines on mask-wearing late on Friday, Feb. 25.
  
• These guidelines include a new map that provides a color key for guidance on what to do depending on the “COVID-19 Community Levels” in your area and your personal risk.
  
• The CDC determines community levels of COVID-19 by using COVID hospitalization rates and the number of positive cases in general. Why does that matter? Here’s how CNN put it: “New CDC metrics indicate that about 28% of people in the United States live in a county where they need to wear masks indoors. Previously, CDC pointed to levels of coronavirus transmission within communities as a key metric for restrictions and recommended that people in areas with high or substantial levels of transmission — about 99% of the population — should wear masks indoors.”
  
• Why It Matters: This new guidance shifts masking guidelines to be more heavily-weighted based on county hospitalization rates and personal risk rather than broader data on infection around the country.

Here is the CDC’s map.

Here’s a write up on the new guidance:

CDC relaxes Covid guidance allowing most people to ditch masks if hospitalizations remain low