The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says mask-wearing is still a good way to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses even though the pandemic-related mandates have fallen away.
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told reporters on Monday that mask-wearing is one of several precautions people can take as the U.S. battles a confluence of COVID-19, the flu and a respiratory virus known as RSV this season.
Also, the CDC is considering whether it should take into account viruses like the flu or RSV when it determines the “community level” of COVID-19 risk. The system is used to determine how much damage the coronavirus is doing in a given area, and whether to advise mask-wearing.