(Washington, DC) – Today, in response to the updated guidance for fully vaccinated people regarding mask wearing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, Director of DC Health, released the following statement:

“DC Health is reviewing the updated CDC guidance related to mask wearing. Similar to trends across the nation, the District of Columbia has experienced a four-fold increase in its daily case rate since the beginning of July. DC’s transmission increase is driven primarily by unvaccinated individuals. We know that COVID-19 vaccination is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community. COVID-19 vaccines remain highly effective in preventing COVID-19 disease, hospitalizations, and death. We continue to learn about new variants, and these insights may require us to revisit other protective measures. Wearing a mask in indoor public settings provides an additional layer of protection for those who are fully vaccinated—and continues to be one of the key ways to protect those who cannot be vaccinated, namely young children. If you are eligible to be vaccinated, we strongly encourage you to do so immediately to minimize the risk of disease, hospitalization, or death.”