| New guidance from U.S. health officials says fully vaccinated Americans can go without masks outdoors unless they're in a crowd of strangers and unvaccinated people can be maskless in some circumstances, too.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously advised Americans to wear masks outdoors while within 6 feet of others.
The change comes as more than half of U.S. adults have gotten at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and more than a third have been fully vaccinated. The CDC, which has been cautious in its guidance throughout the pandemic, essentially endorsed what many Americans have already been doing over the past several weeks.
The new guidance says people — vaccinated and unvaccinated — do not have to wear masks outdoors while walking, biking or running alone or with members of their household. It's also OK to go maskless in small outdoor gatherings with other fully vaccinated people, the guidance says.
From there, the CDC has differing guidance for people who are fully vaccinated and those who are not.
Unvaccinated people — defined by the CDC as those who have yet to receive both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson formula — should wear masks at outdoor gatherings that include other unvaccinated people. They also should keep using masks at outdoor restaurants.
Fully vaccinated people do not need to cover up in those situations, the CDC says.
However, everyone should keep wearing masks at crowded outdoor events such as concerts or sporting events, the CDC says.
Although some states have lifted mask restrictions, the agency continues to recommend masks at indoor public places, such as hair salons, restaurants, shopping centers, museums and movie theaters. | 
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