States send mixed signals on COVID-19 mask recommendations

After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced yesterday new guidance suggesting mask use for vaccinated Americans in areas with high COVID-19 transmission, several states have signaled they will either follow or ignore the agency's recommendations—the latest sign the pandemic has become a political issue in the United States. The CDC's guidelines make it clear it is up to state and local officials to determine when and if mask use is appropriate based on a series of metrics, which take into account case rates and vaccine coverage.