On Thursday, May 13, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their guidance regarding those who’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. One of the most exciting updates to their previous guidance is that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a face mask or stay six feet away from others in most indoor or outdoor settings.
An important fact to know is that this guidance DOES NOT include healthcare facilities or businesses who choose to require them. Fully vaccinated people will also need to continue wearing masks on airplanes, buses, trains and other public transportation.
“While we understand that continuing to mask at Lakewood is frustrating to fully vaccinated people, there are immunocompromised and sick people in our hospitals and clinics,” said Lakewood’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Christine Albrecht. “We have seen vaccinated immunocompromised people get COVID-19, so we want everyone to be safe in our facilities.”
“Just like everyone else, we’re excited to be moving toward a little more normalcy again, even in small measures,” said Lakewood President and CEO, Tim Rice. “Our hope is that healthcare facilities will eventually be able to join everyone else in no longer requiring masks, but for now, we will continue to follow the CDC guidance.”