{"id":10115,"date":"2021-05-17T12:00:33","date_gmt":"2021-05-17T16:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/hiv-id-observations\/?p=10115"},"modified":"2021-05-17T13:07:37","modified_gmt":"2021-05-17T17:07:37","slug":"cdcs-surprise-mask-policy-and-what-means-right-now-for-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/hiv-id-observations\/index.php\/cdcs-surprise-mask-policy-and-what-means-right-now-for-me\/2021\/05\/17\/","title":{"rendered":"CDC’s Surprise Mask Policy — and What It Means Right Now for Me"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Edvard Munch, The Sun, 1911.<\/p><\/div>\n

Anyone else out there blindsided by the CDC’s announcement last week about masks?\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing …<\/em><\/p>\n

Jeepers, that was fast. Less than a month ago, I was having a conversation with my dog Louie about outdoor mask mandates<\/a>, wondering when our town would drop this unnecessary (in my opinion) rule about how we live out in the fresh air — where we know SARS-CoV-2 transmission is exceedingly rare.<\/a><\/p>\n

But now, all at once, no masks needed at all<\/em> for vaccinated people? Not quite — there’s plenty of fine print:<\/p>\n

… except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.<\/em><\/p>\n

That means we’ll still see masks in hospitals and doctors’ offices. Planes, trains, buses, airports. And this incredibly important caveat for our immunocompromised patients is a reminder that they can’t rely on the vaccines to protect them:<\/p>\n

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Well said, @CDCgov<\/a>. The whole thing, but have highlighted something particularly important that often gets missed. https:\/\/t.co\/aiUOs5nu4K<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/3KaJldDTmo<\/a><\/p>\n

— Paul Sax (@PaulSaxMD) May 13, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n