What the New CDC Guidelines for Fully Vaccinated People Mean for Business Owners

What the New CDC Guidelines for Fully Vaccinated People Mean for Business Owners
Here is key information for business owners navigating indoor operations with new CDC guidelines recommending fully vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in high-transmission areas of the U.S.
by Austin Tedesco Jul 29, 2021 — 2 min read
What the New CDC Guidelines for Fully Vaccinated People Mean for Business Owners

This article is for educational purposes and does not constitute legal, employment, or health advice. For specific advice applicable to your business, please contact a professional. Please note that regulations and rules related to COVID-19 and reopening businesses change daily. The information in this article is current as of the publication date only. Please check local, state, and federal regulations for the most current information about reopening your business.

With the increasing spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant, the CDC is now recommending that fully vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in high-transmission areas of the U.S. The new guidance is a reversal from a May 13 decision that masks were not necessary indoors for people who are fully vaccinated.

What do these new recommendations mean for businesses as they navigate reopening plans? How can restaurants, retail shops, and more businesses adjust?

Here is the need-to-know information for business owners and the options for navigating indoor operations moving forward.

What are the new CDC mask recommendations for fully vaccinated people?

On July 27, the CDC updated its indoor mask guidance, driven by the Delta variant making up a majority of COVID-19 infections in the U.S. Currently, masks are now recommended regardless of vaccination status in more than 60% of all U.S. counties. Areas with 50 new cases per 100,000 people in the last seven days are considered high-transmission areas.

CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a briefing that while the vast majority of COVID-19 Delta variant cases are occurring in unvaccinated people, the Delta variant makes it as likely for vaccinated people to also spread the disease, leading to the new guidelines.

The CDC recommendations for outdoor settings have not changed, with fully vaccinated people not needing to wear a mask outside.

Are there new mask guidelines for restaurants, retail, and other industries that are reopening indoors?

The CDC has not made significant changes to its mask recommendations for workplaces and businesses. While indoors, the CDC still recommends that employees and customers wear masks as much as possible, including at restaurants and bars when not eating or drinking.

However, some local governments have implemented new mandates in recent weeks. In Los Angeles County, masks are required indoors no matter your vaccination status, except when you are:

The latest mask mandates and guidelines coming from local governments remain essential resources for business owners moving forward.

What options do businesses have moving forward for indoor settings?

Here are some ways to help make your customers feel comfortable:

Dr. Walensky said that if businesses believe vaccine mandates for employees and customers would be beneficial, the CDC encourages implementing those policies. “We’re encouraging, really, any activities that would motivate further vaccination,” she said.

The CDC also recommends a few best practices for managing employees during this time, including:

Austin Tedesco
Austin Tedesco is an editor at Square covering all things management — from the technical aspects of payroll and taxes to the soft skills that lead to strong teams for any business.

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