The Center of Disease Control is now advising vaccinated people to wear masks indoors.
The recent rise in the COVID-19 delta variant has sparked the CDC in its decision to announce that individuals in high transmission areas should continue masking, regardless of vaccination status.
Currently, the University of Idaho does not have a mask mandate. According to UI Director of Communications Jodi Walker, with this recommendation from the CDC just coming out, the university is still making decisions concerning the fall semester.
The CDC COVID-19 data tracker website shows Latah County has 43.7% of fully vaccinated residents as of July 27. The CDC tracker advises people to enter counties with lower rates of vaccination with caution.
Rochelle Wolensky, director at the CDC, gave a press briefing July 27 to update the public on current guidelines surrounding vaccinations and COVID-19 prevention.
“This week our data shows that delta remains the predominant variant circulating in the United States,” said Wolensky.
Wolenksy said that the CDC has seen recent scientific data from outbreak investigations that the delta variant behaves differently from past strains of COVID-19. The investigations have shown that, in rare cases, fully vaccinated individuals who have caught the delta variant still have potential to be contagious.
Wolenksy said that fully vaccinated individuals and those who have not been vaccinated should wear masks in public, indoor settings. Additionally, the CDC recommends continuing social distancing and masking practices in schools.
“The CDC recommends that everyone in K-12 schools wears a mask indoors,” Wolensky said.
She said teachers, visitors, students and staff should wear masks, whether vaccinated or not. Wolenksy also advised community leaders to encourage vaccination and universal masking.
Sierra Pesnell can be reached at [email protected]