On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) relaxed mask-wearing guidelines for fully vaccinated people, enabling them to avoid wearing masks outside in crowds and in most indoor environments, in a big move toward returning to pre-pandemic life.

President Joe Biden said, "This is a wonderful day for America," during a Rose Garden event, where he and his staff attended without masks. When the guidance was released, Biden led the party to remove their masks in the Oval Office, where he attended the meeting with vaccinated Republican lawmakers.

"If you are fully vaccinated, you no longer need to wear a mask," he said. He summarised the latest guidelines and encouraged more Americans to "Either get vaccinated or wear a mask before you get one."

At a previous White House briefing, Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, said, "We've all longed for this moment when we can get back to some sense of normalcy."

Anyone who has been completely vaccinated will engage in both indoor and outdoor activities. without wearing a mask or physically separating themselves. Walensky said, "Once you've been completely vaccinated, you should resume doing the stuff you've been putting off due to the pandemic."