Growing concerns over COVID-19 infection rates may spell trouble for some businesses while providing opportunities for others, particularly trucking, as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced a guidance change on Tuesday calling for mask-wearing indoors regardless of vaccination status in COVID hot spots.
In a phone conference with reporters this afternoon, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said that “new science related to the Delta variant” required the agency to change its mask-wearing guidance.
“In areas with substantial and high transmission, CDC recommends fully vaccinated people wear masks in public, indoor settings to help prevent the spread of the Delta variant, and protect others,” Walensky said.
[Related: Mandated vaccines in trucking could lead to employee, recruitment losses]
Though somewhat rare, breakthrough cases occur where vaccinated people are catching the Delta variant and passing it on to others, Walensky added. Mask-wearing is being recommended by the CDC to help prevent that.
COVID cases have been on the rise in 90% of U.S. jurisdictions, according to the CDC, with the Delta variant now the most prevalent strain in the U.S.
