Current CDC Mask Guidance

It is what it is.

Low

• Wear a mask based on your personal preference, informed by your personal level of risk

Medium

• If you are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness
  • Talk to your healthcare provider about additional precautions, such as wearing masks or respirators indoors in public
• If you live with or have social contact with someone at high risk for severe illness, consider testing yourself for infection before you get together and wearing a mask when indoors with them.

High

• Wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status or individual risk (including in K-12 schools and other community settings)
• If you are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness
  • Wear a mask or respirator that provides you with greater protection
  • 
    

Green/Low is "wear a mask if you are a weirdo or have a nonfunctioning spleen." Medium is "maybe wear a mask if you are paranoid about killing your granny."

The color map, by the way.

It is not anything approaching "consider wearing a mask for the sake of others, if you are able." Mask wearing has gone from "you wear one to help others," which was the message for a long time, to "wear one for yourself, if you must, weirdo."

I'm not the caricature of a "mask fanatic." I don't get mad if other people aren't wearing them. I keep one in my pocket and put it on in shops and public transport and things like concerts. I'm not talking about individual behavior or mandates, I'm talking about the message coming from above. It is Covid Over, except for weirdos.