CDC issues new guidelines on ‘universal mask wear’ in all activities outside the home

The CDC released its strongest mask guidelines yet during the COVID-19 pandemic on Friday, calling for “universal mask wear” in all activities outside of one’s home. The new recommendation comes at the end of a week when the United States experienced the deadliest day in the pandemic to date, with more than 3,100 lives lost as of Thursday alone.

“There is now overwhelming evidence to support the benefits of cloth masks both for source control (to protect others) and, to a lesser extent, for wearer protectionSays the report.

Other measures, including physical distancing, avoiding non-essential or congested interior spaces, postponement of travel, and more testing and contact tracing is also part of the strategy outlined in the report, which warns that “[t]The United States has entered a phase of high-level transmission. “

The new guide lists “the universal wearing of face masks” as the first recommendation to help stop the spread of the disease. He says masks should be worn for all indoor activities outside an individual’s home, as well as during all outdoor activities when at least 6 feet of social distancing cannot be maintained.

He also recommends wearing masks in your own household if someone living there has tested positive for the virus or has potentially been exposed.

The CDC says masks are essential because about 50% of the spread of the coronavirus comes from people who do not have symptoms. The report notes that “colder weather, more time spent indoors, the current US holiday season and the silent spread of disease” are all leading to the virus explosion across the country.

Another recent CDC update determined that masks are helping protect the wearer, in addition to other people. CDC Director Robert Redfield said masks could be the most effective tool to fight the pandemic, even more than a vaccine.

Even though the United States sees a record rise in COVID-19 cases nine months after the start of the pandemic, mask wearing remains a divisive issue. Some governors who initially opposed mask warrants issued them in November when hospitals were near capacity, while others – including Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis – always refuses to demand masks or to punish people who do not wear them.

The CDC’s latest report recommends that state and local heads “issue policies or guidelines mandating the universal use of face masks in indoor (non-home) environments.”