The CDC has done an about face and recommends that everyone, both unvaccinated and vaccinated should mask up when inside if you live in areas with “substantial or high transmission” of COVID-19. They are recommending this because of new data on the highly contagious Delta variant.
Florida is now the epicenter of the pandemic in America, so the entire state is high risk. They also said that masks should be required of everyone inside K-12 schools.
The primary reason for this about face is that less than half of the country is vaccinated and many of those people are refusing to get the jab. Another finding is that vaccinated people are becoming infected although their cases are mild, resembling a common cold. However infected vaccinated individuals can carry as high a viral load as an unvaccinated individual and therefor they can spread the virus to others.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings declared a State of Local Emergency for Orange County. He recommends that people should mask up inside. All Orange County employees will have to be vaccinated by August 31, 2021. Orange County broke the record for the all time high of new cases 1,371 on July 27, 2021. The mayor asked that all businesses mandate vaccinations. To date there have been 1,390 deaths in Orange County. Certain health care providers in Orange County have reported that up to 30% of their positive COVID-19 test results have come from vaccinated people. Approximately 95% of patients in the intensive care units of certain health care providers in Orange County are unvaccinated people. CDC has determined that levels of community transmission in Orange County, Florida are “high” which is the highest classification.