Good News - The CDC Has Scaled Back Outdoor Mask Guidelines

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its guidelines on masks for for those wearing them outdoors.

The CDC says fully vaccinated people don't need to wear them outdoors unless they are in a big, dense crowd of strangers.

They even said that those who aren't vaccinated can go without their mask in some cases as well.

Does this mean the pandemic is over and we can resume normal activities? No, but's it's a step in that direction at least.

Over the last year, the CDC has recommended people wear their mask and maintain six feet of social distancing both indoors and outdoors. The new guidelines ease those restrictions as more people are getting the vaccines and the COVID numbers are dropping.

CDC numbers as of April 27 showed that 42.7% of Americans have had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 29.1% are fully vaccinated. Those numbers may look a little low, but they're more encouraging when broken down by age. 81.8% of Americans 65 or older have had at least one dose, and 67.9% are considered fully vaccinated. When it comes to Americans between 18 and 65, 54.2% have had one dose while 37.3% are considered full vaccinated.

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Infectious disease expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Dr. Mike Saag, says, “It’s the return of freedom, it’s the return of us being able to do normal activities again. We’re not there yet, but we’re on the exit ramp. And that’s a beautiful thing.”

The CDC also says that whether you're fully vaccinated or not, there is no need for a mask if you are walking, biking, or running alone or with members of your household.

So, that's good news for the fully vaccinated Americans, but what about those who have not been vaccinated? The CDC recommends that you wear a mask if attending an outdoor event with other unvaccinated people.

So, this is good news for those looking to attend outdoor activities, but keep in mind that the CDC still recommends you wear a mask indoors. This video does a great job of showing how masks help slow the spread of COVID-19, and this video debunks myths about masks.

LOOK: Answers to 30 common COVID-19 vaccine questions

While much is still unknown about the coronavirus and the future, what is known is that the currently available vaccines have gone through all three trial phases and are safe and effective. It will be necessary for as many Americans as possible to be vaccinated in order to finally return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy, and hopefully these 30 answers provided here will help readers get vaccinated as soon they are able.