With new confirmed cases of COVID-19 again spiking among non-vaccinated people thanks to the Delta variant, the Centers for Disease Control has amended some of its guidance regarding mask wearing.
The agency now recommends, even for those fully vaccinated, "To reduce the risk of being infected with the Delta variant and possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission."
The problem is, looking at the CDC's graphic, the entire state of Florida is currently in a "high level" of community transmission. You have to go up into central Georgia or coastal South Carolina before finding areas that are in the "substantial"or "moderate" levels.
AdventHealth, Central Florida’s largest hospital chain, returned its emergency status to “red” for the first time since the height of last summer's spike due to rising numbers of COVID-19 patients. Orlando Health has already changed its visitor policy.
Also, with information about the Delta variant's ability to spread even among vaccinated people, the CDC also advises indoor masks for all teachers, staff, students and visitors at schools nationwide, regardless of vaccination status.
There is no word yet on if this will affect Osceola schools, which open to students on Aug. 12 and have made mask wearing voluntary for the 2021-22 school year,or if the School Board will discuss the matter at Tuesday's board meeting.
