On Friday, Feb. 25, the CDC established new guidelines for wearing masks. This decision was based on community-level hospital data and new cases. The CDC is no longer recommending schools to wear masks unless the school is at the highest level under the new recommendations.
There are three levels: green, yellow, and orange. Only the people living in counties considered orange will be recommended to mask up to keep everyone safe. People with a positive test or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask no matter what their levels are just to be safe.
“This reflects a new framework focused on protecting people at substantial risk of severe illness and preventing hospitals and healthcare systems from being overwhelmed,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky said.
In Michigan, 17 counties are at the highest level. People need to communicate with the organizations that serve people who are variable or at substantial risk for severe disease to ensure they know how to get rapid testing. The case numbers are decreasing in Michigan. The state reported a weekly average of 1,293 new, confirmed cases. This is the lowest it has been since August.
“We should all keep in mind that some people may choose to wear a mask at any time based on personal preference. And importantly, people who wear high-quality masks are well-protected even if others around (them) are not masking,” Dr. Greta Massetti said.
This is the lowest average COVID-19 cases since August. The worst of the Omicron variant has passed. Hopefully, cases will eventually be so low that patients will not have to be tested for COVID-19. Keep your friends and family safe.