CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta says vaccinated people can generally go maskless outdoors, with some caveats

Dr. Sanjay Gupta on masking outdoors
(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/CNN)

There's been some heated discussion about whether it's safe, for you and others, to do outdoor activities without wearing a mask. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is putting together new guidance for vaccinated Americans, CNN's Jake Tapper told chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta on Thursday evening, but "what does the science say about what the rules should be for people, like us, who are vaccinated?"

Gupta said the research shows that fewer than 10 percent of all infections happen outdoors, and the odds of transmitting COVID-19 indoors is 18.7 precent higher than outdoors. "So keep those in the back of your mind. As a general rule," he said, citing Virginia Tech viral transmission expert Linsey Marr, "if you've been vaccinated and you are not vulnerable, high-risk, you really don't probably need a mask outdoors. But there is some common sense that comes into play here, as well: If you're in a very crowded outdoor setting where you're going to be stationary for a long period of time, and there's high viral transmission in your community — that's something you can check — then that's going to be more of a risk."

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.