More than 8 out of every 10 Americans are at low risk of COVID-19 and have no need to wear masks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
QUICK FACTS:
- As of March 3, the centers for disease control and prevention updated its community COVID-19 map to indicate that more than 90% of Americans are no longer recommended to wear masks.
- The map estimates the risk of contracting COVID-19 based on infection levels, hospital admissions, and hospitalized patients with the virus, The Epoch Times reports.
- According to the publication, the map indicates that more than 9 out of 10 Americans are in a low or medium risk area at this point, meaning masks should not be required.
- This is a near reversal to the agency’s stance as of Feb. 25, when the CDC recommended mask wearing for more than 95% of the country.
DETAILS ON THE HIGH-RISK AREAS:
- The states of Nevada, Maine, and South Carolina have no counties labeled “high risk.”
- However, there are large areas of Nebraska, Kentucky, and West Virginia with large areas where masking is still recommended.
BACKGROUND:
- The criteria for risk assessment includes assessing counties that exceeded the threshold for the number of new hospital admissions with or from COVID-19 in the past 7 days.
- Additionally, the CDC takes into account the total percentage of beds occupied by COVID-19 patients regardless of whether they were admitted for COVID-19 or some other reason.
