CDC Offers New Mask Guidelines. Will Michigan Mandate be Lifted?
People are rejoicing after the latest announcement from the CDC which provided new guidelines for those that are fully vaccinated.
Those who are fully vaccinated (which is classified as 2 weeks after the 2nd dose of either Pfizer or Moderna or 2 weeks after the single shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine) will no longer be required to wear a mask indoors. It's a big announcement that feels like progress but don't go throwing those masks in the trash just yet.
While the CDC has released these new guidelines, several states, including Michigan, will still have mask mandates. At least for the time being.
As reported by Clickondetroit.com, businesses in Michigan are still required to follow the mask mandate. Currently, the mandate says that fully vaccinated people must wear a mask and practice social distancing when:
- Indoor non-residential or public gatherings;
- Outdoor non-residential or public gatherings over 100 people; and
- Residential gatherings (indoor or outdoor) if they are experiencing symptoms of Covid-19
You can read more about the current mandate here.
As it seems to be with every single decision made by the CDC, the government, or Governor Whitmer, people online are enraged. Comments range from "Oh so Whitmer is smarter that the CDC now?" to "I'M NEVER WEARING A MASK EVER." However, the updated guidelines from the CDC were just released yesterday. And there's been no official announcement from Whitmer declaring her defiance to the new guidelines.
Remember, at the end of April a proposed timeline was announced for lifting the mask mandate. The plan detailed that once 70% of Michigan's population was fully vaccinated masks would no longer be required. Currently, just over 50% of Michigan's population is fully vaccinated. You can stay up to date with the vaccine rate in Michigan here.
Will this proposed timeline for mask requirements change? It's definitely possible.
Until then, plan on wearing masks indoors and practicing social distancing. And please, let's just try to be nice to each other as we continue to navigate this bizarre time in our lives.