Citing ‘stunning’ coronavirus progress, Joe Biden celebrates easing of US mask rules

Fully vaccinated people don’t have to wear masks for outdoor activities like walking and hiking, say US president and health officials

The updated health advice comes as more than half of all adults in the United States have now received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine

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US President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the administration’s coronavirus disease response outside the White House on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

Published: 2:44am, 28 Apr 2021Updated: 4:13am, 28 Apr 2021

Fully vaccinated people can safely engage in outdoor activities like walking and hiking without wearing masks but should continue to use face-coverings in public spaces where they are required, US health regulators and President Joe Biden said on Tuesday.

The updated health advice comes as more than half of all adults in the United States have now received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Biden said the new advice was a direct result of steps the country had take to fight the coronavirus.

“We’ve made stunning progress because of all of you,” Biden said, adding that Covid-19 cases are “down dramatically”. Deaths among senior citizens have dropped by 80 per cent as vaccinations have increased, he said.

“If you’re vaccinated, you can do more things, more safely, both outdoors as well as indoors,” Biden said, while adding that masks should still be worn in big crowds and at stadium events.

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