A few days ago, foreign media CNET published an article that at the beginning of 2020, like a fanatical dream, people began to be confused about masks before any instructions were in place. In March 2020, when the new crown virus had just gained a foothold in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) issued recommendations that healthy people should not wear masks-in a lack of personal protective equipment In the stressful medical system of China, masks should be reserved for patients and nursing staff.
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On April 3, 2020, the US CDC changed its previous attitude and issued a nationwide recommendation that all Americans should wear cloth masks. In the next few weeks and months, states, cities, counties and local businesses have adopted scientifically based reasoning that masks will slow the spread of COVID-19 by suppressing respiratory droplets. As the wearing of masks has become the norm and surgical masks have become widely available, the US CDC has issued a further recommendation-wearing “double-layer masks.”
Since March 2020, great progress has been made in the fight against COVID-19, which is mainly due to three highly effective COVID-19 vaccines. On May 13, the US CDC announced that it is safe for vaccinated people not to wear a mask in most cases. Since then, people have debated the evidence of vaccination, whether the CDC’s guidance on masks is effective, and confusion about local regulations. This is where the Americans are now.
Vaccination status and mask issues
According to the guidance of the US CDC, people who have been fully vaccinated can safely stay indoors or outdoors in any type of group environment without wearing a mask, because they can be protected from the severe COVID-19 disease and will It is much less likely that the disease will spread to other people. Full vaccination in the United States means two weeks have passed since the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two weeks have passed since the first dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
This guidance means that it is not safe for people who have not been adequately vaccinated not to wear masks, and they are still at risk of contracting COVID-19. In fact, according to Dr. Rochelle Varensky, Director of the US CDC and Dr. Vivek Murthy, US Secretary of Health, more than 97% of all hospitalized patients caused by COVID-19 are unvaccinated people, and more than 99% of COVID-19 -19 death cases are people who have not been vaccinated. Valensky pointed out at a White House press conference on Friday that the new crown pandemic is becoming a “pandemic of unvaccinated people.”
After being vaccinated, why are they still required to wear a mask in some places?
Everyone-regardless of whether they have been vaccinated or not, they need to wear masks in public transportation, airplanes, medical institutions, and any places where masks are needed or in private companies.
The US CDC’s guidance does not override the state, city or county mask regulations. Due to the increase in COVID-19 cases, some regions are restoring mask regulations. For example, after the increase in new coronary pneumonia cases, Los Angeles began to require vaccinated and unvaccinated people to wear masks again indoors. The seven counties in the San Francisco Bay Area have not issued orders, but have issued recommendations that everyone should wear a mask indoors after the highly contagious delta variant causes an increase in COVID cases.
Is the mask effective against the Delta variant?
Delta virus is more contagious and may cause more serious diseases, which means that masks play a more important role in slowing down the spread of the new coronavirus.
Former Director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Scott Gottlieb told CBS: “The quality of masks will have an impact because variants like Delta spread more intensely, people are more infectious and will Send out more viruses.”
Gottlieb said: “I think it is very important for them to send N95 masks to vulnerable people in areas with severe epidemics if they want to add another layer of protection, even in areas where they have been vaccinated.”
Who should I listen to, WHO or (US) CDC?
One of the main manifestations of the confusion about masks in the United States is that WHO officials stated that vaccinated people should continue to be cautious and wear masks. This is contrary to the recommendations of the US CDC.
When weighing the recommendations of the US CDC and WHO, one important thing to remember is that these two agencies serve different groups of people. The CDC is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Its mission is to guide health practices in the United States. The WHO is an organization under the United Nations, serving many different countries. When the US CDC issued guidance on the new crown pneumonia epidemic, its focus was on the United States, while the WHO had to consider the world.
Is it legal to require a mask or provide proof of vaccination?
The CDC’s current guidance on masks does not contain any vaccination certificates, and (it seems) most stores and companies have adopted the guidance that people will wear masks or not according to personal vaccinations. According to KIRO 7, if a restaurant or company asks you to wear a mask and you refuse, then as long as they do not discriminate, they may have the right to refuse to provide you with services.
However, there are different laws at work. For example, state laws will take precedence over county laws. In states such as Texas, local governments are prohibited from enforcing the regulations on wearing masks. This is entirely up to the employer or the company to decide.
According to the guidance of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, it may be legal for employers to request employees to wear masks. The committee is an agency that enforces civil rights laws in the workplace. The committee stated in its March 2020 update: “The ADA and the Rehabilitation Act will not interfere with employers following the recommendations of the CDC and other public health authorities to take appropriate steps related to the workplace.”
As for the vaccination certificate, the Biden administration stated that it will not create a vaccine passport system for the United States. However, this has not weakened the controversy about compulsory vaccination or proof vaccination. Many hospitals and some universities have begun to require employees and students to be vaccinated against COVID-19. On Monday, a federal judge dismissed questions about the vaccination requirements of Indiana University students and faculty members, stating that the university has the right to do so unless there is a religious, medical or moral exemption.
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