One local expert agrees with new guidance from the CDC, that those fully vaccinated don’t have to wear a mask outdoors or indoors. Dr. Louis Katz, Medical Director for the Scott County Health Department, says the decision was based on sound science coming from the United Kingdom and Israel, where the vaccinated population saw an 85% decrease in transmission.
But there’s no real way to verify who’s vaccinated and who’s not. Katz says he’s worried about unvaccinated people taking advantage of the new guidance, especially since children under the age of 12 and immuno-compromised people are not able to get vaccinated.
“This is about protection of the public health. That is the health of their friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and the people that they may spend time with indoors.”
That’s why, he says, vaccinated people may still need to wear masks when dining indoors; federal law prevents any business from asking for medical information.
“As far as I’m concerned, (people) don’t have to disclose anything, but I would hope that if I ran an indoor business and put a sign up that said ‘please mask,’ that the people who don’t want to mask wouldn’t come in.”
As of yesterday, 38% of Scott County residents have been fully vaccinated, and nearly half of those eligible for the vaccine have received both doses.
