U.S. NEWS

Unmasking America

After a change in CDC guidelines less states require a mask after you get a COVID vaccine. Reporter Aiden Zoll

The COVID pandemic has been going on a little over a year now, and people are getting geared up with hopes to return to a normal with the new COVID vaccines rolling out. Some states with the recent CDC guideline changes are lifting mask restrictions if you have gotten these newly released vaccines.

Some of the first states lifting mask restrictions are Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, West Virginia, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Wyoming, Kansas, Utah, and Wisconsin. Although this seems like a lot of states, most of them have lower than ten thousand cases, except Texas with forty-five thousand cases and Indiana with fifteen thousand cases.

We are on a recovering path with ninety-five million people vaccinated out of three hundred twenty-eight thousand people that makes up the population of the United States that's nearly thirty percent of people in the US. These numbers are hoped to rise due to the lowering of the age for the vaccine to eighteen.

Local GHS teacher Mr. Crowley who has gotten the COVID vaccine has to say about restrictions starting to loosen, “If enough people are vaccinated, [loosening restrictions] should be fine as long as it’s done responsibly.”

He also talked about how he felt about getting the vaccine: “It’s a relief to know I have it,” and he tells us about how he could finally be with friends and family who also received a vaccine.

The CDC says it’s safe for vaccinated Americans to unmask outdoors, but should still be safe inside and comply with businesses personal regulations.