The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its mask-wearing and COVID-19 testing guidance for fully vaccinated people on Thursday, May 13.
Here are the major updates for fully vaccinated individuals:
- Update that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance
- Update that fully vaccinated people can refrain from testing following a known exposure unless they are residents or employees of a correctional or detention facility or a homeless shelter
Fully vaccinated people can:
- Resume activities without wearing masks or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance
- Resume domestic travel and refrain from testing before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel
- Refrain from testing before leaving the United States for international travel (unless required by the destination) and refrain from self-quarantine after arriving back in the United States
- Refrain from testing following a known exposure, if asymptomatic, with some exceptions for specific settings
- Refrain from quarantine following a known exposure if asymptomatic
- Refrain from routine screening testing if feasible
For now, fully vaccinated people should continue to:
- Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
- Follow CDC and health department travel requirements and recommendations
‘Masks are still important’
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer praised Michigan’s drop in daily COVID cases, test positivity and hospitalization rates during a press conference Wednesday.
It was a broad press conference that covered everything vaccination rates, new guidelines reopening the state and more.
Whitmer officially announced May 24 will be the day offices will be able to reopen under the guidance of the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA), which has filed to move emergency pandemic orders to be more permanent-standing orders.
Whitmer also touted the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ updated mask guidelines for those fully vaccinated.
“Going forward, fully vaccinated people do not need to mask up anymore when gathered indoors at a residence,” Whitmer said. “Outside the home, masks are only required at outdoor gatherings with more than 100 people.”
Indoor masks are still needed in stores and businesses, the governor said a day before the CDC’s new guidance.
“I want to be clear. Masks are still an important tool to keep yourself, your family and the most vulnerable among us safe, especially indoors,” Whitmer said. “It’s how we keep people safe.”