More than 70% of the US population will not need a mask indoors, according to the CDC

(CNN) – New figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that about 28% of Americans live in counties that need to use them. masks indoors, a significant drop from previous metrics, which advised 99% of Americans to keep their masks on.

Previously, the CDC cited levels of coronavirus transmission in communities as a key measure of restrictions, and recommended that people in areas with high or significant levels of transmission — about 99% of the population — wear masks indoors.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID-19 community levels metrics now rely on three pieces of information: new COVID-19 hospitalizations, hospital capacity, and new cases. According to the updated guidelines, more than 70% of the US population is in places with low or moderate levels of COVID-19 in the community. For those areas, the use of masks indoors is not recommended, unless there is an “increased risk” of contracting COVID-19. In this case, the CDC recommends talking to your health care provider about wearing a mask.

At all levels, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people be vaccinated and boosted, and tested if they develop symptoms.

In areas with “high” levels, the CDC also advises that a mask be worn in public places, including schools. In areas with “intermediate” levels, the CDC advises talking to your doctor about wearing a mask if you’re at increased risk of COVID-19. In areas with “low” community levels of COVID-19, there is no recommendation for the use of masks.

The CDC notes that anyone who wants to wear a mask should continue to do so.

“This new framework goes beyond looking at cases and testing for positivity to assess factors that reflect disease severity — including hospitalization and hospital capacity — and helps determine whether the level of COVID-19 and disease severity is low, medium or high in the community,” said Dr. Rochelle Walinsky, The director of the CDC, told reporters during a briefing Friday.

What do the CDC standards say?

Counties with fewer than 200 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in the past week are considered “low” community levels of COVID-19 if they had fewer than 10 new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 population or less. Of the 10% of staffed hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients, on average, in the past week.

Levels are “medium” if counties have had 10 to 20 new hospital admissions per 100,000 residents or between 10% and 14.9% of staffed hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients on average in the past week .

Levels are considered “high” if counties have had 20 or more new hospital admissions for COVID-19 per 100,000 or at least 15% of staffed hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients on average in the past week.