WHO vs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Should vaccinated people wear masks? Here is the new discussion

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According to the World Health Organization, even fully vaccinated people should wear masks.

Sarah Tew / CNET For the latest news and information on the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization do not share the same perspective when it comes to the coronavirus. People who have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus do not need to wear masks because they are “safe” from the virus, Rochelle Wallinsky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said on NBC’s Today program on Wednesday. The advice publicly contradicts the World Health Organization’s recommendation last week that fully vaccinated people should continue to wear face masks to limit the spread of the virus and dangerous new variants.

The announcements came in response to a rise in coronavirus cases around the world, driven by the delta variant first identified in India, which has become the dominant strain in many countries around the world, including the United Kingdom, South Africa and Malaysia.

With only 10.95% of the entire world’s population vaccinated, the ongoing debate highlights the division between two global powers over infectious diseases. Note that both the World Health Organization and the CDC agree that people who have not been vaccinated should continue to wear face masks. Here is an outline of the discussion.

Tracking the coronavirus pandemic.

Why does the World Health Organization say that vaccinated people should wear face masks?

During a press conference on June 25, WHO Assistant Director-General Dr Mariangela Battista Galvão Simão said that constantly wearing a mask is important, even for people who have been vaccinated. They need to protect themselves.”

During the same briefing, US infectious disease epidemiologist Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove said that wearing masks in public is essential to help people inhale particles that will make them sick.

While the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines show strong protection against variants, “super” infections may persist sporadically. In June, a fully vaccinated woman in Napa, California died of COVID-19. She was over 65 years old and was reported to have underlying medical conditions.

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What does the CDC say?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s current guidance on mask wearing remains the same for fully vaccinated people. The guidelines say those who have been fully vaccinated can “resume activities without wearing masks or physical distancing” except when necessary, such as on planes and businesses.

Walensky, the agency’s director, adhered to this directive on NBC’s Today show on Wednesday, saying that fully vaccinated people are protected from the delta variant.

The CDC warned CNN Saturday that there is still a small chance that fully vaccinated people will become infected with the new variant if they are exposed. We have asked the CDC for comment.

Why is the coronavirus delta variant important?

The delta variant is the latest among the new variants of the coronavirus, and it is the most contagious of the variants identified so far, according to the World Health Organization. The organization said during the press conference that the delta variant has been identified in 85 countries so far and is spreading among the unvaccinated population.

“The delta variant is currently the biggest threat in the United States to our attempt to eradicate COVID-19,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during a White House briefing on June 22.

Some countries are returning to lockdowns to limit the spread of the disease.

Sarah Tew / CNET Will there be a return to face mask mandates and lockdowns?

Some countries have already begun to tighten COVID-19 restrictions. For example, four cities across Australia are back in lockdown, including the state of New South Wales in Sydney. In the United States, Los Angeles County strongly recommends face masks indoors, regardless of whether or not someone has been vaccinated, although masks are not required in most places. Some countries within Africa and Asia – for example, South Africa and Malaysia – have also gone into lockdown due to the spread of the delta variable.

Some places have never relaxed mask mandates, such as airports and airlines. In the United States, other public transportation facilities require masks, such as buses and trains.

For more information, here’s what you need to know about “long COVID” and how to treat it. Also read these COVID-19 vaccine side effects, important tips and what to avoid to get your own COVID-19 vaccine.

The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to provide health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have about a medical condition or health goals.

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