People who are fully vaccinated in Berkeley no longer need to wear a mask when they’re outside, except in crowds or certain venues, after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced new guidelines for mask use and vaccinated residents.
It’s a big shift from previous mandates that required masks when within 6 feet of another person even outside. Both the state and the city of Berkeley are aligning with the CDC’s move, which applies to anyone who is two weeks past a second dose for Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, or two weeks past the single-dose Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine.
If you’re fully vaccinated, here’s what you can do without a mask:
- Visit other fully vaccinated people indoors without physical distancing
- Visit one unvaccinated household indoors without physical distancing
- Attend small outdoor gatherings with both vaccinated and unvaccinated people
- Participate in outdoor activities and recreation
Here’s when you still have to wear a mask, even when fully vaccinated:
- Visiting an unvaccinated person who is at high risk for severe COVID-19
- During indoor gatherings with both vaccinated and unvaccinated people
- While outdoors in a crowded setting, like a music festival or sporting event
- Any activity indoors with the general public, like shopping, going to the movies, getting a haircut, attending a full-capacity exercise class
The CDC says anyone who is immunocompromised should consult their healthcare providers about higher-risk activities, even if they’re vaccinated.
So far, about 72% of Berkeley adults have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Alameda County Public Health Department, and nearly 50% are fully vaccinated.
Featured photo credit: gina g10