CDC: Using double face masks protects you better from covid-19 1:10
(CNN) -
More state leaders have announced they are loosening restrictions on covid-19, even as experts warn that the US is not yet safe, especially as the variants are spread across the country.
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte signed a bill Wednesday that protects businesses and places of worship from legal liability for COVID-19 transmission as long as they take steps to follow public health guidelines, and announced that will not extend the masks mandate statewide.
"The mandate of the mask will expire on Friday," said the governor, adding, "Since we are not out of the woods yet, I will continue to wear a mask and encourage all Montanans to do the same."
Chicago officials said Wednesday that indoor service in bars, restaurants and events can be expanded to 25% of capacity or 50 people per room or floor.
The measure, which goes into effect on Thursday, is part of a broader plan to slowly ease covid-19 restrictions in the city.
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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that major stadiums and arenas may reopen beginning February 23, with the approval of the state health department.
Sites will also need to follow health guidelines, including capacity limits, social distancing, and facial coverage requirements, and both staff and attendees will need to receive a negative covid-19 PCR test within 72 hours. to any event.
"While we continue to fight covid on multiple fronts, we must also get this economy to reopen in a smart and balanced way," Cuomo said in a statement.
In New Mexico, Gov. Michelle Luján Grisham said the state will withdraw its mandatory quarantine rule for people from "high risk" states, attributing the policy change to a "cautiously brighter pandemic outlook after several months of unsustainable tension in the state's health system.
But health experts have warned that covid-19 variants complicate the country's outlook.
Reducing restrictions now is "incredibly risky," warned earlier this week Dr. Richard Besser, former acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"It is absolutely essential that we continue to take steps beyond vaccination to keep this under control," said Besser.
"The more this virus is allowed to spread in our communities, the more we will see these variants spread."
And while the numbers of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations may have decreased, Americans continue to lose their lives to the virus every day.
In February alone, more than 28,000 deaths from covid-19 have been reported.
And a new joint forecast released Wednesday by the CDC projects there could be another 68,000 virus-related deaths in the country by March 6.
Which states are looking for variants
So far, more than 940 cases of COVID-19 variants first detected in the UK, South Africa and Brazil have been reported in the US, according to data from the CDC.
But the number likely doesn't represent all variant cases in the country, experts warned.
While the US is ramping up its genome sequencing efforts to search for variants, it still lags far behind many other developed nations.
"Once we have more sequencing, we will have a better idea of how many variants there are and what proportion there are," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said earlier this week.
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But only eight states have genetically sequenced more than 1% of their total COVID-19 cases during the pandemic, compared to the national average of just under 0.4%, according to CDC data.
Those states include Hawaii, Maine, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Utah, Washington State, and Wyoming.
Eighteen states have sequenced less than 0.1% of their confirmed COVID-19 cases.
CDC: Second dose of vaccine can be given later
Meanwhile, the CDC also released a new guide on best practices for administering second doses of the vaccine.
The Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna covid-19 vaccines licensed for emergency use in the US are given in two doses, 21 and 28 days apart, respectively.
But if the recommended intervals cannot be met, the new CDC guidance says the second dose "can be scheduled to be given up to 6 weeks (42 days) after the first dose."
So far, more than 33.7 million Americans have received at least their first dose of a covid-19 vaccine, CDC data shows, while more than 10.4 million people are now fully vaccinated.
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The agency said Wednesday that people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can skip quarantine if they are exposed to someone infected with the virus.
"Fully vaccinated individuals who meet the criteria will no longer be required to self-quarantine after exposure to someone with COVID-19," the CDC said.
The criterion is that people must be fully vaccinated: have received both injections and at least two weeks have passed since the second vaccination.
But the agency added that the protection can wear off after three months, so people who received their last injection three months or more ago should self-quarantine if exposed, and should also self-quarantine if they show symptoms.
“Right now, vaccinated people should follow current guidelines to protect themselves and others, including wearing a mask, staying at least 2 meters away from others, avoiding crowds, avoiding poorly ventilated spaces , cover coughs and sneezes, wash hands frequently, follow the CDC travel guide, and any applicable guidelines in the workplace or school, "said the agency.
Double mask is better, experts say
CDC: Using double face masks protects you better from covid-19 1:10
And when it comes to face coverings, the CDC also released new data showing that the double mask can significantly improve protection.
Researchers found that putting a cloth mask over a medical procedure mask, such as a disposable blue surgical mask, can block the escape of 92.5% of potentially infectious particles by creating a greater fit and eliminating leaks.
"These experimental data reinforce previous CDC guidance that everyone 2 years of age and older should wear a mask when in public and around other people in the home who do not live with you," Walensky said during a briefing. virtual in the White House.
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"We continue to recommend that masks have two or more layers, fully cover the nose and mouth, and fit snugly over the nose and the sides of the face," added the director.
Wearing a mask with a moldable nasal wire, knotting earmuffs on the mask, or wearing a cloth mask over a surgical or disposable mask can help improve fit, Walensky added.
CNN's Andy Rose, Michael Nedelman, Keri Enriquez, Jacqueline Howard, Ben Tinker, Jennifer Hauser, and Brad Parks contributed to this report.
Covid-19