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CDC lifting outdoor mask requirements: What that means for traveling

By Brian Miller

TOKYO, JAPAN - DECEMBER 31: People wearing face masks walk pass food stalls in Harajuku area on December 31, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. As Covid-19 coronavirus infections continue to fluctuate nationwide, Japanese authorities have urged people to avoid gathering in large numbers as they celebrate New Year’s Eve (Photo by Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images)
TOKYO, JAPAN - DECEMBER 31: People wearing face masks walk pass food stalls in Harajuku area on December 31, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. As Covid-19 coronavirus infections continue to fluctuate nationwide, Japanese authorities have urged people to avoid gathering in large numbers as they celebrate New Year’s Eve (Photo by Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images) /
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The CDC is about to make life a little easier for most Americans as they are expected to lift mask mandates when outdoors. This could be a game-changer for the traveling crowd.

Nothing is 100% certain but several reports indicate that lifting the mask mandates for outdoor gatherings is going to happen sooner rather than later and could happen as early as this week. Currently, it is recommended that masks be worn as much as possible and while they will still need to be worn in places like your local grocery store or mall, it seems that they won’t be needed at state parks, national parks, and theme parks.

We first got wind of this on the Disneytouristblog.com website. 

"the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will release new recommendations this week. This is expected to include a lifting of outdoor face mask guidance."

Magic kingdom
Annual passholders were treated to a special preview of the Magic Kingdom’s reopening. Walt Disney World has been closed for nearly four months due to the coronavirus pandemic.Photo Jul 09 2 39 47 Pm /

Indeed, it does appear that something is going on and the CDC has some information that tends to support this line of thinking. That is good news for those who are hoping to travel to warm climate areas. Wearing a mask can be brutal in high heat areas so the removal of mask requirements should allow many to start traveling freely around the country and that should also lead to a lessening of some state’s self-quarantine rules on return.

With nationwide vaccination numbers continuing to climb, many Americans could see changes to other mask area mandates. The CDC pointed out yesterday that those Americans who have been vaccinated face an absolute minimal risk to themselves and others.

With the summer almost upon us and thus the busiest travel season of the year and the first since  2019 when there was a free from COVID summer, travelers are going to find moving around a tad bit easier as life begins to take on at least some semblance of normality.

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