Chaffee County Responds to New CDC Mask Guidance
On May 13, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) updated mask guidance for fully vaccinated individuals, loosening restrictions on mask-wearing indoors. However, for the time being, Chaffee County remains under the active state-level and local-level public health orders, which both require masks are to be worn while indoors.
The CDC states that people who are fully vaccinated can forgo masks and social distancing in most indoor situations. An individual is not fully vaccinated until two weeks after their 2nd dose of Moderna or Pfizer or two weeks after their first dose of Johnson & Johnson. Though this is welcome news for many, the CDC guidance does not override state or local public health orders.
“The CDC’s new mask guidance for fully vaccinated people will likely be formally incorporated into the Colorado statewide mask mandate and public health order very soon,” said Chaffee County Commissioner Greg Felt.
“In the meantime, the current local indoor mask mandates remain in effect,” adds Felt. “We anticipate that revised state orders will be nuanced so we are waiting to review those before making changes to our Chaffee County Public Health Order. We feel this approach provides more certainty and continuity for our county businesses and institutions and we appreciate their patience in the interim.”
Chaffee County Public Health says that it anticipates updating the local public health order in the coming days, once more is known about the state-level decisions and has time to review Governor Polis’ official executive order. For the time being, Chaffee County operates with an indoor mask mandate.
The new CDC guidance demonstrates that vaccines are safe and effective. All eligible individuals are encouraged to seek out a vaccine. A list of Chaffee County vaccine providers can be found HERE.
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