In the past day, we have received new updates from the Center for Disease Control regarding mask requirements for citizens.
The health organization has come out to announce that most people in the U.S. live in an area where the majority of the population is healthy, allowing for them to start lifting heavy mask restrictions.
According to new data from the CDC, 70% of the U.S. population is living in an area where there are low or medium COVID-19 levels. With that, people would only be required to wear masks indoors if they are more at risk for contracting the virus.
Even with the restrictions surrounding masks easing, many researchers still encourage people to wear masks in places such as schools, the grocery store, and other highly populated areas, as it will reduce the chance of getting sick.
On the official CDC website, they have a section that tracks COVID-19 Community Levels, which is updated every day. In this data, there is a map that shares community levels of COVID-19 within counties, as well as on a state level. It is a useful piece of information to check out, as you are able to see where your area stands in terms of transmission rates, and stay well-informed.
This recent update feels hopeful in terms of a chance of returning to a new normal, but there is still some worry among people of things changing again.
For me personally, wearing a mask has become a kind of safety net, so it might be a while before I can feel comfortable taking it off. It’s been a long 2 years within this pandemic, and I hope that we are able to look towards a better “normal” state of living.