How new CDC mask guidelines for vaccinees affect Michigan

DETROIT – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) turned the tide on some masking guidelines on Tuesday, recommending that even vaccinated people resume wearing masks indoors in parts of the United States where the coronavirus is in full swing boom.

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The CDC recommends that people living in areas with “high” (red on the map) or “substantial” (orange) spread of COVID-19 wear masks indoors, regardless of their vaccination status. According to the CDC data tracker, about 63% of U.S. counties fall into this category as of July 27, mostly in the southern states. The entire state of Florida is in the “high” risk category.

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In Michigan, only a handful of counties fall into the high-risk categories, but none of them are in Southeast Michigan. “Substantial” counties include Cass, Van Buren, Hillsdale, Mason, Kalkaska, Alpena, Iron and Gogebic counties. Branch and Dickinson counties are in the “high” risk category.

Most of the state falls into the “moderate” spread category, with about 27% of the entire United States. COVID-19 cases have been on the rise in Michigan over the past two weeks, with the 7-day average of cases tripling since July 1.

Related: Florida virus cases skyrocket, hospitals close to peak last summer

Michigan COVID: Here’s what you need to know July 31, 2021

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The CDC has also recommended indoor masks for all teachers, staff, students and visitors to schools, regardless of their immunization status.

Most new infections in the United States continue to involve unvaccinated people. But “breakthrough” infections, which usually cause milder illness, can occur in people who are vaccinated. When earlier strains of the virus predominated, those vaccinated infected had low levels of the virus and were considered unlikely to spread the virus much, CDC director Dr Rochelle Walensky said.

But with the delta variant, the level of virus in infected vaccinated people is “indistinguishable” from the level of virus in the nose and throat of unvaccinated people, Walensky said.

Data has emerged over the past two days from 100 samples. It is not published and the CDC has not published it. But “it is worrying enough that we feel like we have to act,” Walensky said. People who are vaccinated “have the potential to pass this virus on to others,” she said.

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As of July 27, Michigan had not revised any state-level masking guidelines. The mask’s global mandate was lifted in June. There are currently no capacity restrictions in the state.

Read more: CDC reverses course on indoor masks in parts of the United States