Vaccinated people can go maskless outside. Here’s what the CDC says is safe.
The new guidelines are intended to reassure immunized people about the low risk of outdoor activities. But some experts worry they could backfire.
Over the last year, the public has considered the outdoors their sanctuary. In the era of social distancing, it was often the only place to exercise during lockdowns or gather with people in carefully spaced-out lawn chairs. And as evidence accumulated that the risk of outdoor transmission of COVID-19 is low, many people felt free to also take off their masks and let down their guards.
Still, people’s interpretation of what it’s safe to do without a mask on has ranged widely. While one neighbor was convinced that going to an outdoor bar was perfectly fine, another routinely masked up while walking the dog.
Today, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced new guidelines
