There was a time when the mask wearing mandates were removed after the number of coronavirus infections had reduced significantly and the number of people getting vaccinated also increased. But then the number of infections started to increase. Now the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention have updated their guidelines that would help to prevent the spread of the contagious coronavirus. As per the new guidelines, all people should wear masks in public indoor settings which come under highly transmissible areas. People who are fully vaccinated will also have to wear masks.
The CDC explained that the changes have been brought due to the surge of the highly contagious delta variant of coronavirus. A research has warned that people who have been vaccinated and infected with the Delta variant can spread it to others, even if they don’t get seriously ill. Health experts have opined that it spreads more easily due to the mutation which makes it easy to latch to the cells in the bodies.
However, the breakthrough cases among the vaccinated people are very low. The vaccinated people who do get infected with the new variant either get less sick or are asymptomatic. Health officials in the United States are expected to announce plans to dispense booster shots against COVID-19 for all the Americans. It will help to provide protection amidst the surge of the Delta variant. There have also been signs that the effectiveness of the vaccine is slipping.
As the fresh information emerges from the governments and health agencies, companies are also chalking out plans on ways to keep their employees and customers safe. Tech giant Apple is requiring all of its employees and customers in the United States to wear masks at the stores. Staff and customers at McDonald’s will also have to follow the mask mandate at the restaurant areas. Meanwhile Target has asked its employees to wear masks but has not made it mandatory for the customers to wear one. But it has strongly encouraging the customers to wear one.
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