The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that 69.3% counties in the country had high COVID-19 transmission rates, thus requiring mask wearing indoors in public places, adding that they must resume the policy with immediate effect.

The agency stated that 52.2% of U.S. counties have high COVID-19 community transmission rates while 17.1% have substantial rates of transmission, where substantial transmission refers to at least 50 fresh cases per 100,000 individuals in the previous seven days, and high transmission means over 100 cases per 100,000 over the same period. The mayor of Washington DC, Muriel Bowser, said that with effect from 5 a.m. on Saturday, masks will be mandatory in all indoor public places… (Reuters, July 30, 2021)