In another hairpin turn in the road of Covid-19 pandemic management, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced today that everyone in areas where the virus is surging should wear masks again, regardless of their vaccination status.
The C.D.C. is also advising that all teachers, staff, students, and visitors in schools wear masks when schools open this year, even in areas where there is no alarming surge or demand on hospitals. The agency said that schools should definitely open to in-person learning, regardless of the virus surge.
Amid rising numbers of Covid-19 cases and versions of the virus that are breaking through the still-experimental vaccines that are now widely administered, the recommendations are likely to be controversial, as the C.D.C. earlier had said that the vaccine would mean people could return their lives to normal.
In a breaking news story from the New York Times today, the Biden Administration is now considering requiring all federal employees to get the vaccine. Already the Veterans Administration said it will fire workers who do not get the
Read: Veterans Administration requires vaccines of employees within eight weeks
Covid-19 is surging in places such as Arkansas, Florida, and Los Angeles, and the increase is associated with the Delta variant of the virus. Many experts have been pushing for vaccine and mask mandates.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Biden Administration’s pandemic adviser, said the virus is changing, and the C.D.C. is correct to revisit its recommendations to keep up with the dynamic situation.
There are currently 94 people in Alaska hospitals who have a version of Covid-19. 71,286, or less than 10 percent of Alaskans have been diagnosed with the illness. 316,121 Alaskans have been fully vaccinated, a little more than 52 percent.
