Three Things Everyone Should Know about New Mask Guidelines

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS —In light of the vaccine roll-out, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new - and liberating - guidance on what activities are safe to do without a mask.

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First, it's good to understand when you've been fully vaccinated. According to the CDC, people can consider themselves fully vaccinated:

• 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
• 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine

Here are three things you should know if you are vaccinated:

1. You can gather indoors with fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart.

2. You can gather indoors with unvaccinated people of any age from one other household (for example, visiting with relatives who all live together) without masks or staying 6 feet apart.

3. You can gather or conduct activities outdoors without wearing a mask except in certain crowded settings and venues.

And some good news for everyone, whether you are vaccinated or not: people no longer have to wear masks outdoors when they walk, bike or run alone or with members of their household.

Finally, the CDC has advised that everyone, vaccinated and unvaccinated, should continue to wear a mask while in indoor public places, such as hair salons, restaurants, shopping centers, gyms and bars. People should also wear masks at crowded outdoor events, such as concerts.

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