What Do The New CDC Mask Guidelines Mean For Idahoans

To mask up or to not mask up... that is the question. Today the CDC issued new guidelines and that has left some people wondering how to proceed. Do we wear masks outside? Do we wear them if we've been vaccinated? What if we've only received one shot? What if we got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine? Where does that put us on the new mandate side of things?

"The CDC says that fully vaccinated or not, people do not have to wear masks outdoors when they walk, bike or run alone or with members of their household. They can also go maskless in small outdoor gatherings with fully vaccinated people."

Okay so whether we have been vaccinated or not we can exercise and hang out with family sans mask... got it. In regards to people who have not gotten vaccinated the CDC site says...

"Unvaccinated people — defined by the CDC as those who have yet to receive both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson formula — should wear masks at outdoor gatherings that include other unvaccinated people. They also should keep using masks at outdoor restaurants."

This is where things get tricky. If you live in Boise, the city has a standing mask mandate. If you live anywhere in Canyon county it's basically the wild wild west and there has never been a mask mandate. If you go to McCall you can get a $100 fine for not wearing a mask until the end of May. Clear as mud? Perfect. Carry on... meaning check the specific mandates for your home city in order to stay on the safe side of things.