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Face masks have been an integral part of stopping the spread of COVID-19. Wearing the personal protection equipment is required in many public spaces.
On Monday, March 1, Fauci, the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical advisor to President Biden, said that there is a point - and for some people, it is already here - when they can stop wearing face masks.
If a person has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and they are around people who have also been fully vaccinated it is okay not to wear a face mask, Fauci said.
This relaxation of the rules comes at a time when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is preparing a list of things fully vaccinated people can do safely.
Anyone who has not been vaccinated, or only received the first of a two-dose regimen, should still adhere to traditional COVID-19 safety measures of wearing masks, frequent hand sanitization, and social distancing.
During a Monday press conference with Fauci and CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, Fauci gave an example of what mask-free socializing might look like.
“I use the example of a daughter coming in from out of town who is doubly vaccinated, and a husband and wife doubly vaccinated, and maybe a next-door neighbor who you know are doubly vaccinated,” Fauci said.“Small gatherings in the home of people, I think you can clearly feel that the risk — the relative risk is so low that you would not have to wear a mask, that you could have a good social gathering within the home.”
To read the full transcript of the press conference visit rev.com.
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