New COVID guidelines from CDC - Maybe 2021
 

I have been following the changing guidelines from CDC and we have reached what I consider a milestone. With only a few special case exceptions, like doctor's offices, hospitals, public transportation, etc. It is no longer recommended to wear masks.

This is a big deal and carries implications for getting people back to work.

If you follow the John Hopkins website for tracking data, you know that the US has been virtually untouched by the latest worldwide surge which has hit some countries with very deadly results. The US on the other hand has continued a slow steady decline in daily cases and daily deaths. (See link below for their new and improved website which also includes vaccination rate data)

We, the world, have now reached 1.38 trillion doses of vaccine administered. The US has administered 268 Million and while the curve is tapering off, we are still administering more every day.

For the first time in over a year, I have hope that we will beat this thing into submission. New variants are coming, but for now, I look forward to taking my wife out to eat at a restaurant.

COVID-19 Map - Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center

We have been in restaurants since the first day in dining was offered, this year. Playing golf without masks, visiting kids, and grandchildren, for most of 2020, and 2021. Working side by side with over 100 people everyday. So not much different for us. Business can still demand masks.
Disney Started allowed pictures to be taken without masks, first of May. But I think it will be awhile before their mask mandate is lifted.

I understand. And yes, I do intend to respect any business with a "please wear mask" signs posted.

India now the hotbed of 1 out of every 3 new cases of covid 19 thought the epidemic was over for them in February. Don’t count you chickens....

I agree completely.

Finally! I believe the change is only for those who are fully vaccinated. I hope this motivates people who may be on the fence about getting the vaccine.

Welcome back to living. We have been dining out for months, without masks and without the vaccine. I know, I'm one of those ignorant, selfish people who don't buy into the hysteria over a virus with a 99% survival rate.

Dumb stipulation too. Obviously the ones not vaccinated will say they are. They are the same ones who have cried about wearing a mask this past year so will be the first to pull it off and breath on the rest of us

But, but, but. How do we know who is fully vaccinated? Do we carry a "I'm fully vaccinated" ID card? A arm patch? A decal on our car? How do we know? Ask, maybe? That could get a little uncomfortable.

.....

Well, I travel to a lot of Federal and State Government Facilities.

The morning I go in, before I am allowed in, I have to sign a form stating that I am either A) fully vaccinated and past the 2 week waiting period, or B) have had a negative COVID test in the past 4 days.

So, here's the thing - they ask, you tell, but you do not have to present proof - yet. They've already said in the near future we'll have to display the vaccine card.

This is one of those things where Florida says no vaccine passport, etc, but the card is not a vaccine passport. It's just an acknowledgement you are vaccinated and the ID number from the vial so they can track in case there is an issue with a batch.

Eventually, there has to be a validation done of some sort. Although the numbers are looking better every day..

According to the paper, some restaurant employees and some college students will be learning the answer to that in the near future.

One option: you will be able to know who is not vaccinated because they will be the ones still having symptomatic infections. As long as the hospitals are not overwhelmed, that's okay. Let those who want to bet against a set of loaded dice do so. If they don't want to protect themselves that's their choice but don't punish (limit, restrict, inconvenience, etc) the vaccinated for the choice of the not-vaccinated;

I truly hope we don't get to the point of parsing words like this. Call it a passport or call it a card or call it my papers, it is all the same. If I am required to carry proof of my medical status (Covid, HIV, Measles, Tuberculosis, Meningitis, Flu, etc) in order to move around the country then my privacy is being invaded and I have lost a freedom.

Agreed

If some kind of verification would be needed in the future for proof of covid shots, what stops the need to prove flu shots, measles, etc etc etc, in USA? I know Vaccinations are needed to visit some countries, that is understandable. But what about our HIPA laws? We can’t be forced to release medical information without our approval. And according to local Drs no one can make you get the vaccine or any vaccine for that matter. PS. I got vaccine, but my wife is unable to get it.

Well, here's where we have the public health emergency and crisis management people get involved..

We don't know what the future will bring. If the numbers continue to drop and, as you said, only those who rolled snake-eyes get infected, and the hospitals don't get over-run, we may see all that go by the wayside.

I am optimistic enough to feel that we are now looking in the rear view mirror on this. Or, rather, vaccinated people are as the chance of a vaccinated person getting an infection is now 9000:180 MILLION, according to the news last night. And the majority of those actually were infected prior to getting the vaccine, so the number is far less.

And, Europe is now opening up to fully vaccinated Americans and I'm booking a flight to get a bratwurst soon!

For a year we have been told that wearing a mask doesn’t protect you, it protects others. If you have had your shots, if you wear a mask it won’t protect me since you’re already protected. And I shouldn’t need to wear a mask since you don’t need protection from me, because you’re already protected. So why does my “breathing” have you so agitated?!?

Covid is unique in that it resulted in a Pandemic and the death toll is incredibly high. Plus is it very contagious. So they are writing a new set of rulebooks on this.

You are correct about HIPPA. But, it is your choice whether to take part in whatever activity requires you to provide proof. So, the activity is purely optional.

It's interesting you mention vaccinations to visit other countries. I just found my shot record I had to carry everywhere in the past. I couldn't even board the flight with it.

Airlines are responsible for checking vaccination requirements of your destination before you board. I don't see any of that changing. As more and more countries require Covid vaccinations, it will become second nature for travelers to keep their cards with them.

I have read that each state has a depository of vaccination records that can be used. For what I read, this is how cruise lines will check for vaccine compliance, although you WILL have to sign a release form for them to check the state records. So, you may not need the card at that time.

We're still wearing baby shoes and taking baby steps right now!

Freedom lost
 

Thank you. You are so right. The current political climate is all about removing more and more freedoms. Hopefully more of America will wake up to this before America as we knew it in the past is gone forever.

Doesn't really make sense. It's the vaccines that changed the playing field. If changing the guidelines was the only thing needed to get people back to work; then they should have changed them a year ago.


I think the change in guidelines has more to do with the changing public sentiment than it has to do with science. Even some of the well-known hosts of the opinion programs on the cable news channels are questioning why masks are required. Changing the guidelines, IMO, demonstrates the manipulation the CDC has been conducting on the populace. Think about it. What has changed since November that makes fully vaccinated folks safe today but not back then? If the vaccines are effective (and I believe they are) there's no reason for anyone fully vaccinated to wear a mask at all.

It gets better -

Latest word from CDC says that vaccinated don't need to wear masks in most situations but that the non-vaccinated should continue wearing them.

And that we may see masks for a long time since some people are now very comfortable wearing them. uhh - not me. LOL

India has put cables and fencing over some spots in rivers to stop bodies from being thrown into the water and are burning piles and piles of bodies in the street.

I'm so glad our "conspiracy", never got as bad as their" conspiracy".

I think you mean 1.38 Billion, not Trillion. That many? That’s impressive!

If the unvaccinated don't wear masks they are putting only themselves at risk. The likelihood of a vaccinated person getting infected is extremely low

Maybe one of these

We've dropped down to #18 in the fatalities/million as well.

COVID Live Update: 161,923,080 Cases and 3,360,907 Deaths from the Coronavirus - Worldometer

And if you look at when we started vaccinations in November, we've led the world ever since in numbers of vaccines given for the population.

All that preplanning starting last July saved millions of lives - we're now shipping excess vaccination doses to India and elsewhere.

Good Job, America!

Been dining out for nearly the whole time since opened back up near a year now.

I’m with you all the way on your philosophy here. Wish there were more folks that could see the truth.

We are not the brainwashed..

Beside a blatent disregard for others, it doesn't take a math wiz to figure out that a 99% survival rate (many with serious lifelong neurological and other issues) would mean

3.28 MILLION AMERCANS DEAD

Apparently, that is perfectly acceptable to you?

Let them knock themselves out. I'm vaccinated.
Fauci et al said one reason the government lifted the mask mandate was to encourage people to get vaccinated, since the rate of vac is falling. "You can go here, and you can go there, as long as your vaccinated." However, I believe that most of the non vaccinated will take advantage of the new rule and still not get vaccinated. Unless someone's standing at the door asking for vac records (which could be fake anyway), I doubt it will change their minds about vaccinations. They'll go anywhere they want to.

But oh well... Let them infect each other!

Yep - Darwin, Survival of the Fittest, etc etc ... weed out the weak

What irritates me are newscasters standing on the street, nobody within 50 feet of them, wearing a mask.

An endless debate. Truth, REALITY, I don't know or particularly care why some people think it is such a big deal. I do wonder about posters. Imagine if anything REALLY was wrong.

In terms of posts, endless debate about driving, round a bouts, speed. Masks, if it is a thurs and the sun is up you must wear a mask? Or perhaps it should be tied to the tides?
Simple, people can handle it. Wear a mask. Now our great leaders. You will need to check the day of the week and the tide chart.

Vaccinated? Will we now demand people carry proof they have been vaccinated? Will we not object to random police stops demanding to see your paperwork? Self responsibility?
Read any of the threads about round a bouts, speed etc. Chance of self responsibility working is zero in the real world.

I think that this pandemic is just a warning of things to come as gain of function research and techniques like CRISPR make the risk of a plague almost inevitable. Let’s use this opportunity to develop methods to identify, isolate and control the spread of man made viruses. Ignore what has happened at our future perils.

While it’s wonderful the US has relaxed mask and social distancing guidelines, have the EXPERTS truly provided new information?
The efficacy of the vaccines remains the same, degree of illness, hospitalization and death also remain the same. The term of the studies is longer but without additional findings.
Just what am I missing?
Those who opt out of being vaccinated will continue to walk among us. It’s not like anyone can visually recognize a vaccinated vs unvaccinated individual. In some instances, the honor system surrounding the unvaccinated of masking and social distancing is not and will not be followed.
There is no right or wrong answer in choosing to vaccinate or not. It is a personal choice and frankly no one else’s business. It’s also their right to follow or not follow guidelines.
This is where it gets sticky for me. There hasn’t been any new information with regard to masking or not. This time last year, FL also saw a decrease in new cases.
Variants and mutations of COVID are now present. Many fully vaccinated people will be due for their booster in the next few months and there is no mention of how it will be rolled out.
The TV commercials, news and presidential clips currently being presented display a return to normalcy for vaccinated individuals. Is it wishful thinking on our leaders part that those unvaccinated will suddenly rush to get vaccinated? At this time, about 1/3 of the US is vaccinated, a far cry from heard immunity.
Just what has changed? I’m not entirely sure.
On a personal level, I would love to return to normal without masks or social distancing. On an intellectual level, I’m not quite there yet. No, I’m not living in fear. I am however questioning the integrity of those providing new regulations without new scientific evidence.
We all make choices on a daily basis based on our personal needs and beliefs. To follow CDC guidelines or not will most likely continue to be a personal choice and one of great contention.
Bottom line, do what’s right for you and stop worrying about what others are doing and live YOUR best life.

On TV this morning!
 

Torres is among eight so-called breakthrough positives among the Yankees
 

Your post left off one important point. Those who are not vaccinated are supposed to wear masks. I was at an activity in one of the rec centers when a person who was not wearing a mask said to the group, "I need to have more patience with people telling me I need to get vaccinated." Then she went on about not believing in vaccinations. All non vaccinated people need to wear a mask. This is why. No vaccine is 100% including the measles vaccine. There are different Covid vaccines and the best is 95% effective. That means theoretically 5 out of 100 people if exposed will still have a breakthrough infection. What protects those 5 is that the people around them if vaccinated are not spreading the illness. For example there was a measles outbreak in the U.S. between 1989 - early 1991 due to a rise in anti vaccination sentiment. There were 27,000 cases of measles in the U.S. in the year 1990 alone with approximately 123 preschoolers dying. If someone doesn't want to take the vaccine then they need to be aware they can carry and spread the virus even if they are not experiencing symptoms. Hence, the reason they need to wear a mask.

A statistical anomaly for sure!

Of the more than 95 million people in the United States who were fully vaccinated, only 9,245 — or 0.01 percent — have been infected with the coronavirus.

Just over a quarter of those people never had symptoms;

132 people, or 1 percent of the breakthrough infections, died.

Twenty of those deaths were in asymptomatic people or probably not related to COVID-19.

So, 132 out of nearly 100 Million...

Here’s what breakthrough infections reveal about COVID-19 vaccines | Science News

Yes, and India still has leprosy too. India is a dirty and nasty place with way too dense of a population.