Expected Friday is an announcement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that includes loosening federal mask-wearing guidelines.

According to AP News, the CDC will change the metrics it uses to inform decisions about whether to recommend face coverings for the U.S. population. The shift that will take place in guidelines will change from looking at total case numbers throughout the country to taking a more community-based approach.

It was expected last week that the CDC would update some of its guidelines in line with Democratic states that have lifted indoor mask mandates and vaccine guidelines. Many states that have done this cite a decrease in caseloads following the surge of the Omicron variant.

Around 95% of U.S. counties have high or substantial transmission rates, which under the CDC’s current guidelines are recommended to wear masks. Changes to guidelines will consider caseloads but also factor in the number of hospitalizations and the hospital capacity of a particular area.

The new guidelines expected to be announced will result in the CDC no longer recommending indoor masking for most people in the U.S. This change in guidance shifts the focus to hospitalization numbers and local healthcare capacity rather than individual spread and number of cases

According to The New York Times, about 60,000 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 nationwide. That's a 44% decline from the past two weeks across the country.

CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky was expected to meet this week with the COVID Response Team to go over what changes should be made to the current masking guidance.

However, even in states that have dropped vaccine and mask mandates, public transportation, schools, and large congregation spaces like airports will probably still face masking mandates. Unlike last year, and as the midterm elections approach, many have changed their perspective to support removing mask mandates.

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