CDC recommends masks indoors for those vaccinated against COVID-19 in places like the Mat-Su

According to revised guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued Tuesday, Mat-Su Borough residents fully vaccinated against COVID-19 should resume wearing masks in public, indoor spaces.

The new CDC guidelines cite the increased risk of spreading what has been named the “Delta” variant of COVID-19.  The Delta variant is now the predominant strain of the virus that causes COVID-19 in the United States, and early studies indicate that it spreads more efficiently than previous variants.  Under the new guidance, people in areas with substantial or high rates of transmission are recommended to wear masks in indoor, public places.

Both the CDC and the World Health Organization say there is evidence that existing approved vaccines against COVID-19 are largely effective against the Delta variant in preventing severe disease. There have been some instances of vaccinated people getting sick, also known as “vaccine breakthrough” cases, but they are a small fraction of overall hospitalizations and deaths.  According to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, about ninety-six percent of Alaskans hospitalized with COVID-19 between February and July of this year were unvaccinated.

The Mat-Su Borough falls in the CDC’s “Substantial” spread category, and under the state’s High Alert status. Case counts for July 2021 are higher than they were this time last year.  Vaccination against COVID-19 is significantly lower in the Mat-Su than the state average.  Statewide, vaccination numbers have plateaued, with about 57% of Alaskans 12-years-old and older receiving at least one shot so far.  In the Mat-Su, that number is around forty percent.  Vaccination percentages for the Northern Susitna Valley match those of the rest of the borough.