| After loosening its COVID-19 prevention guidelines somewhat this week for people who are fully vaccinated, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could soon go even further if new cases continue to decline, Dr. Anthony Fauci said.
The seven-day average of new cases has dropped from about 60,000 new infections per day to “around 30 to 40” in the past few days, Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN Wednesday.
The CDC issued new guidance Tuesday, saying fully vaccinated people can unmask at small outdoor gatherings or when dining outside with friends from multiple households — activities the CDC said require unvaccinated people to still wear a mask.
But some experts said the new guidance is too cautious and doesn’t offer a strong enough incentive for Americans who still are on the fence about getting a shot or who may have already been unmasking in those settings.
Fauci responded to the criticism, saying the CDC “Is fundamentally a science-based organization, and they like to do things regarding guidelines and recommendations based on the data that they have.”
“Right now, the thing I believe that’s holding back more liberal relaxation of the kinds of guidelines is the fact that we still have a considerable amount of infection in the community,” he said.
About 43% of the U.S. population has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, CDC data shows and more than 29% of the population is fully vaccinated.
The CDC defines fully vaccinated people as those who are at least two weeks past their second Pfizer or Moderna vaccine dose or at least two weeks past the single Johnson & Johnson shot. | 
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