When Will It Be Safe To Stop Wearing Masks?
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - With more than 200 million Americans now receiving at least the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, some are asking when it will be safe to stop wearing a mask.
While the CDC still recommends wearing masks outdoors, experts are saying it may be time to take the mask off in certain situations.
Many of us are more than anxious to get back to the life we once knew. While we may not there just yet, the CDC and other experts are considering easing mask restrictions, at least outdoors.
Take a walk through any neighborhood. Some wear masks. Some don't. Is it safe yet to remove the mask when you are outside? Some say yes, but others still wear it.
A doctor from Allegheny Health Network agrees that it may be time to reconsider mask requirements, at least when you're outdoors.
"I think wearing masks when you're alone outside is not really useful. I think that if you're in a park where there's lots of space and lots of ability to separate, I think wearing a mask is not particularly necessary, either," said Dr. Arvind Venkat.
Even so, many people we spoke with are playing it safe.
Dr. Venkat warns it's not time to remove the mask when you are around groups of people, especially indoors.
"What I'm telling people is that they should be wearing a mask in indoor circumstances where they are not sure everyone else is vaccinated. And especially if it's crowded or poorly ventilated," says Dr. Venkat.
The CDC warns even if you are fully vaccinated, you could still carry the virus and pass it on to others if you aren't wearing a mask.
The CDC is currently reviewing its guidelines for wearing a mask outdoors.
