Naomi Watts, Kendall Jenner and Ashley Graham are among a slew of stars who have brushed off The Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) new guidelines stating that Americans may no longer be required to wear a mask outdoors.
The stars have opted to put the safety of others first by donning their face coverings, including the British-Australian actress, who received her second dose of the jab on Wednesday at a hospital in New York City.
Since the CDC unveiled its new advice on Tuesday, which also said unvaccinated Americans could remove their masks when exercising outside, many stars have opted to keep their masks on in accordance with individual state mandates, with California still stating such coverings are required in public places.
Naomi was spotted heading out in New York on Wednesday just hours after it was revealed she’d received her second vaccine against coronavirus.
The star first shared the news with her 1.5 million followers on Instagram, along with a snap of her arm covered with a plaster following the jab.
She penned the caption: ‘Love the shot, the science and the shirt. Got that second dose! Thank you! Here’s to getting back to biz!’
You don’t need one! On Tuesday, the CDC eased up on the guidelines requiring face masks by advising that fully-vaccinated Americans no longer need to wear one outside, while un-vaccinated residents can remove masks for outdoor exercise
‘Here’s to getting back to biz!’ British-Australian actress Naomi revealed on Tuesday she’d had her second vaccination against coronavirus at a hospital in New York City, but still opted to keep her covering as she headed out the next day (right)
Earlier this month, she shared a black and white photo of herself with Band-Aids on her arm after getting the first shot, writing: ‘So glad to have finally got my jab. Thanks to all the hard-working scientists and healthcare workers! I cannot tell you how good it feels to see the light at the end of the tunnel. In this together!’
CDC guidance states that American should wait three weeks between their first and second jabs if they are having the Pfizer vaccine, or four weeks for the Moderna jab.
Kendall, 25, was seen wearing her own mask while exiting her hotel in New York City, despite Governor Andrew Cuomo confirming on Tuesday that the state’s own mask mandates would now be changed in accordance with the CDC’s recommendations.
Vaccinated! Joe Jonas and his wife Sophie Turner also recently revealed they’d had been vaccinated, though only the singer confirmed he’d had his second jab
Speaking at a press conference in Broome County, he said: ‘New York has adopted that CDC guidance, so that’s going to go into effect in New York state also.’
Meanwhile Ashley, 33, was pictured wearing her own mask as she headed to Soho House in West Hollywood on Wednesday.
She had waited out the pandemic in her hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska, with her husband Justin Ervin and their son, who was born in January 2020. The state has now vaccinated 31.7% of its population.
Don’t forget your mask! Jessica Alba celebrated her 40th birthday on Wednesday with an outdoor celebration, yet still opted to wear her mask as she exited the eatery
Gone now! She opted to remove her mask once seated at the outdoor restaurant. The CDC’s new guidelines state Americans may take off their face coverings if seated or dining outside in small gatherings
Keeping safe: Oscar winner Frances McDormand, 63, also protected herself with a mask as she enjoyed dinner with her husband Joel Coen at Craig’s in West Hollywood
Protected: Since the CDC’s announcement on Tuesday, Alessandra Ambrosio (left) and Diane Kruger (right) have also been pictured around California keeping their masks on
Joe Jonas also revealed on Sunday he’d had his second vaccination several weeks earlier, writing: ‘We’re in this together. Took this video a couple weeks ago while getting my second shot for the #RollUpYourSleeves Special! Tune-in to watch TONIGHT 7/6c on @NBC. #PlanYourVaccine.’
Elsewhere, Jessica Alba celebrated her 40th birthday with an outdoor celebration which she documented on Instagram.
The star appeared to don her mask to exit the eatery after marking the occasion, but removed it to sit down with her friends.
Since the CDC’s announcement on Tuesday, Alessandra Ambrosio and Diane Kruger have also been pictured around California keeping their masks firmly on.
Singer Avril Lavigne, who has Lyme Disease, was seen enjoying a dinner day with her boyfriend Mod Sun at BOA Steakhouse, while Oscar winner Frances McDormand, 63, also protected herself with a mask as she enjoyed dinner with her husband Joel Coen at Craig’s in West Hollywood.
Date night: Elsewhere singer Avril Lavigne, who has Lyme Disease, was seen enjoying a dinner day with her boyfriend Mod Sun at BOA Steakhouse
Thrilled: In recent months many stars have taken to social media to reveal they’ve had their Covid vaccinations, including Britney Spears, who said she ‘felt fine’ after receiving the jab, and Ciara (right)
In recent months many stars have taken to social media to reveal they’ve had their Covid vaccinations, including Britney Spears, who said she ‘felt fine’ after receiving the jab.
Ciara, who co-hosted a Roll Up Your Sleeves special with her husband Russell Wilson, also shared a snap of her getting vaccinated.
Mariah Carey belted out one of her signature high notes while receiving her first jab earlier this month, and shared the moment with fans on Instagram.
Vaxxed: Real Housewives of New York star Bethenny Frankel also took to her Instagram story, sharing a snap with nurses Catherine Joyce and Denise Kazaklaris, while Sofia Vergara received her own jab while seated in her car
Real Housewives of New York star Bethenny Frankel also took to her Instagram story, sharing a snap with nurses Catherine Joyce and Denise Kazaklaris, while Sofia Vergara received her own jab while seated in her car.
California’s Department of Public Health has since confirmed they plan to align their own guidance on masks in line with the CDC’s new recommendations.
In a statement Governnor Gavin Newsom said: ‘After reviewing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s masking recommendations, and with science and data as our guide, we are moving to align California’s guidance with these common sense updates.’
Working the pipes: Mariah Carey belted out one of her signature high notes while receiving her first jab earlier this month, and shared the moment with fans on Instagram
On Tuesday, the CDC eased up on the guidelines requiring face masks as President Joe Biden called on Americans to ensure they get both jabs.
‘If you are fully vaccinated, things are much safer for you,’ said CDC Director Dr Rochelle Walensky during a Tuesday COVID team briefing.
‘There are many situations in which Americans do not need to wear masks if they are fully vaccinated, particularly outdoors.’
CDC guidelines also state that un-vaccinated Americans may remove their masks outside if they are exercising or in a small outdoor gathering or restaurant.
As long as they are outside, people who are fully vaccinated can now exercise, go to small gatherings or restaurants with people who are vaccinated or unvaccinated.
Tucker Carlson instructs viewers to start telling people ‘politely but firmly’ to remove their masks outside
Tucker Carlson said Americans should start asking people to remove their masks outside because science shows there isn’t a reason to wear them and wearing them makes other people feel uncomfortable.
Tucker Carlson said during his show on Monday night that the fact Americans are being told to still wear masks outside amid the COVID-19 pandemic ‘should shock us’
During his Tucker Carlson Tonight show Monday night, the Fox News host said the fact that Americans are being told to still wear masks outside amid the COVID-19 pandemic ‘should shock us’.
The dictates are simply power grabs by overzealous liberal politicians, he said, and not based in science. Instead, they’re chipping away at Americans’ freedoms – unchecked.
‘The next time you see someone in a mask on the sidewalk or the bike path, don’t hesitate. Ask politely but firmly: ‘Would you please take off your mask? Science shows there is no reason to wear it. Your mask is making me uncomfortable’,’ Carlson said.
‘We should do that, and we should keep doing it, until wearing a mask outdoors is roughly as socially accepted as lighting a Marlboro in an elevator. It’s repulsive. Don’t do it around other people. That’s the message we should send because it’s true.’
It comes amid mounting evidence – finally acknowledged by the CDC on Tuesday – that outdoor transmission of coronavirus is exceedingly rare, accounting for less than 10 percent of cases. Those risks are mainly linked to crowded events that can turn into super-spreader events, or people who were in close range of one another.
However, in crowded places like concerts, parades or sporting events, even vaccinated people should still wear masks, the CDC’s new guidance says.
The guidance is merely that – advice about what the health agency has deemed safe – and is not enforceable. It’s up to states, counties and cities to issue mask mandates and other restrictions.
Several states, including Massachusetts and Kentucky rolled back their guidelines on mask-wearing outdoors on Tuesday morning, in anticipation of the update to the guidelines.
Unvaccinated people can shed their masks too, if they are outside exercising or at small outdoor gatherings with vaccinated friends and families. .
Officials faced scrutiny over saying that the risk of transmission of coronavirus is extremely low outside, while continuing to tell unvaccinated people to keep their masks on while outdoors.
‘There is increasing data that suggests that most of transmission is happening indoors rather than outdoors, less than 10 percent of documented transmissions in many studies have occurred outdoors, we also know there’s almost a 20-fold increase of transmission in the indoor setting versus the outdoor setting,’ explained Dr Walensky.
‘That coupled with the fact that we now have 37 percent over the age of 18 fully vaccinated and the fact that case rates now are starting to come down motivated our change.’
As of Tuesday, about 29 percent of Americans of any age are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. So far, 42.5 percent of the population has had a first dose.
The data on outdoor transmission of Covid – although somewhat limited – suggests it is rare.
In aggregate, a Journal of Infectious Diseases study found that outdoor transmission accounts for only about 10 percent of transmissions.
One of the five found that just two out of 7,324 cases were the result of outdoor transmission.
A second found four out of 103 infections had been contracted outside, and a third found 95 instances of outdoor spread in 10,926 infections.
What CAN you do? U.S. health officials unveiled a list of outdoor activities that it now considers safe for fully vaccinated Americans to do without masks and those that are safe for anyone who is yet to have the jab
The risk varies depending on what outdoor activities are involved however. One of the studies found that one in seven super-spreader events had been outdoors.
Overarchingly, the takeaway from these studies seems to be that if your contact is close enough, transmission can happen anywhere.
But if you’re outside, and not in a tightly packed crowd, the odds of contracting coronavirus appear minimal.
Fully vaccinated people can soon ‘return to normal,’ Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said on Tuesday ahead of the announcement.
‘You’re vaccinated, guess what, you get to return to a normal lifestyle! You’re not vaccinated, you’re still a danger, you’re still in danger as well, so get vaccinated,’ Becerra said on CBS ‘This Morning.’
‘When you get vaccinated, you can join [the two-thirds of vaccinated seniors] outdoors, and not have to wear masks,’ he said.
But he gave conflicting signals. When asked directly if a vaccinated person can stop wearing a mask outside, Becerra waffled.
‘We want to get back to our normal lifestyle, we want to get our economy restarted, we want to get people back at work, restaurants open, you gotta do that the right way, and masks help, vaccinations help, but masks are still important,’ he said, adding that he is vaccinated but still wears a mask.
The odds of catching coronavirus outside are about 19 times lower than they are indoors, according to a large review of research, and health officials like Dr Anthony Fauci and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have acknowledged that the risk of catching or spreading Covid outside, especially after vaccination, is low.
Yet health officials have punted for months about changing guidance on whether or not Americans can take off their masks.
Becerra made the case that continuing to wear masks is a precautionary measure.
‘We weren’t born with masks but we want to be safe and we want to protect our loved ones,’ he said.
‘We put on our seatbelts, we don’t expect that we will crash our car, but we want to be safe, that’s what we’re just trying to do, we just want everyone to be safe.
Despite abundant real-world evidence that it’s very rare for fully vaccinated people to catch coronavirus, Becerra echoed other officials hesitation to say that the virus can’t spread among inoculated people.
‘The vaccine does a really good job of making sure that you’ll be safe, and that you won’t infect others, we’re getting to a point where we’re going to hang masks on the wall as a sign of what used to be, but until then, let’s get back to normal,’ he said.
The CDC has been cautiously expanding its list of activities that it says are low-risk for fully inoculated people, which now includes domestic travel. But the agency’s guidance has been paradoxical – it still advises against travel, despite the low risk.
And even as evidence that coronavirus rarely spreads outside without close contact, the agency has maintained its guidance about public mask-wearing amid growing impatience and pandemic fatigue.
But that could finally be about to change, ‘multiple’ people told CNN.
President Biden, like his predecessor, former President Trump, declined to issue a federal mask mandate.
Public health advisers, including Dr Anthony Fauci, even warned that doing so might also have the opposite of the desired effect, stoking resistance to face coverings.
But most states and territories issued their own mask orders, which numerous studies linked to subsequent decreases in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
After Kansas Governor Laura Kelly issued a mask mandate on July 3 amid massive Covid surges in the South, the upward trend in cases in her state flattened.
A CDC study of the state found that new Covid cases per capita fell by six percent in counties that adopted the mandate in subsequent weeks, while those that opted out saw new infections per capita double.
But the U.S. is entering a new phase of the pandemic.
Among adults 18 or older, rates are even higher, with 36.5 percent fully vaccinated and 53.6 percent having had at least a first dose, according to CDC data.
Clinical trials for the three vaccines authorized in the U.S. – made by Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson – did not measure whether vaccinated people could still spread the virus, only whether they were protected against getting sick from it.
So public health officials continued to encourage fully vaccinated people to continue to wear masks.
Progress: Nearly 30% of Americans are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and the U.S. is giving about three million shots of the various approved jabs per day
Now, real world data increasingly suggests that fully vaccinated people are unlikely to spread the virus, and are likely protected from catching it as well as from becoming ill.
Data has also piled up to show that outdoor spread of coronavirus is rare, while indoors, without good ventilation, the risk remains high, whether you are six or 60 feet apart from other people, a recent Massachusetts Institute of Technology study claimed.
Coronavirus is nearly 19 more likely to spread indoors compared to outside, and fewer than 10 percent of Covid infections had been contracted indoors as of a November Journal of Infectious Diseases study.
Even Dr Fauci admitted the low risk for outdoor transmission.
‘I mean, if you are a vaccinated person, wearing a mask outdoors, I mean, obviously, the risk is minuscule,’ Dr Fauci said during a Sunday ABC interview.
‘Obviously the risk is really very low, particularly if you’re vaccinated’ and participating in outdoor activities.
‘The more we take a look at the data as it accumulates, we see [the vaccine] is even more effective than what the initial numbers of the clinical trial.’
He added that he anticipated updated, ‘common sense’ guidance from the CDC soon.
