With the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus spreading across the country—especially in areas that have a lower overall vaccination rate—the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued updated guidance to help slow the spread of this new variant which has proven to be more contagious than other former versions of the virus that caused this global pandemic.

Bronx Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has a look at these new recommendations.

Mask-Up Again Indoors…In Some Places

Using the link above, you can see whether your county has low, moderate, substantial, or high COVID-19 community transmission. The CDC is recommending that even vaccinated people wear masks indoors in areas with at least a substantial spread, which is defined at 50-100 cases per 100,000 residents and a 8-10% positivity rate over a seven-day rolling period.

Most areas of the northeast and Midwest have moderate spread, but some counties are substantial or high. Much of the southeast has high community transmission, and the Mountain and Pacific time zones are varied among moderate, substantial, and high.

Vaccination Is Still the Best Preventative Measure Against Serious Illness

CDC director Rochelle Walensky said that vaccinated individuals have a low risk of contracting a serious bout of COVID-19 that would require hospitalization, but recent data has shown that vaccinated people can spread the virus easier than first thought due to this contagious new variant.

The CDC reports that 49.1% of all Americans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and 57.5% of those eligible for the vaccination are fully protected. Children under 12 are not yet eligible to receive the vaccine; emergency approval for that age group is expected sometime this fall or early winter.

Because children are not yet vaccinated, the CDC is also encouraging everyone to wear masks for the upcoming school year—all K through 12 students, teachers, staff, and visitors regardless of their vaccine status.

To learn more about Bronx Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://bronx-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.