As Delta variant surges, CDC guidance on masking remains the same for now

As the highly transmissible Delta variant surges, accounting for more than 83% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is sticking with its current mask guidance. 

The CDC and health officials continue to say that masking is necessary for unvaccinated individuals, but not for vaccinated individuals in most indoor settings, in keeping with guidance the CDC issued in mid-May.  In response to questions at the White House COVID-19 response briefing Thursday about whether they're considering changes to the policy, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said, "We are always looking at the data as the data come in."