The Center for Disease Control and Prevention officially released a statement saying that those who are vaccinated are not required to wear a mask, but what does that mean for others?

Just like it is imperative to remember our keys and phone when venturing out of the house, making sure you have a mask on you has become a normal way of life for people all over the world. This pandemic has brought nothing but trouble and complications, so wearing a mask seemed like the only thing left to do to keep us as safe as possible. 

Now, with the widespread availability of three different COVID vaccines, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson, millions of individuals gained an added layer of protection against this vicious disease. 

According to American Progress, “as of May 5, 32 percent of the total U.S. population, more than 107 million people, had been fully vaccinated, and about 45 percent of the population had received at least one dose.”

With these numbers looking very promising, the CDC released an official statement on May 13 2021, stating that those who are fully vaccinated are not required to wear their masks both indoors and outdoors. 

But, what does that really mean, and how safe is it to do that? What are the provisions, if any, with this new mandate?

The Wall Street Journal states that “the new recommendations would further move the U.S. away from the lockdown measures and strict precautions that marked earlier stages of the pandemic and toward a fuller reopening.”

However, it seems that this new mandate is not bulletproof. The Wall Street Journal also claims that the provisions have “caveats,” the most notable being the fact that citizens must still wear their masks in public places that specifically mandate them, with the majority of public places doing so. This new restriction does not apply to those in the healthcare profession, as further stated in this article. 

So, what about those who are ineligible for the vaccine, such as children below the age of 16? Are they more at risk with this restriction being lifted? Sources point to no, since children are considerably less likely to contract the virus compared to adults. 

However, children are not completely immune. Thus, the process of getting the vaccine approved for the younger generation is in the works, as Healthline reports that “Pfizer recently released data stating [that] its vaccine is safe and effective for children 12 to 15 years old,” with testing well underway. 

While some cannot wait to rip off the mask for good, others have expressed their concerns over social media about the risks that come with eliminating the masks. Some are worried that they will seem like an “anti-masker”, or that they will put others at greater risk minus the masks. 

As for the mask regulations in Virginia, Governor Ralph Northam made an announcement stating that the mark mandate would be lifted.

 In his official Twitter post he stated that “Virginia will be removing our universal indoor mask mandate for fully-vaccinated individuals tonight at midnight, consistent with the latest @CDCgov guidelines. It’s simple: either get your shot, or wear a mask.”

A Twitter thread under ABC News’ Twitter post on May 1 that recapped CDC’s new guidelines has a long list of users voicing their concerns over this dilemma. A man named Khalid Rivers shed light on his personal experiences, sharing that “[he knows] nine people who are fully vaccinated that have tested positive for COVID…this seems too soon…”

With these new regulations now officially in place, it seems the public is more worrisome than grateful. As disruptive as masks may have been to people’s daily lives, it looks like they may finally be going away, whether or not people are prepared for that. 

Are you finally ready to be mask-free?