This afternoon (Friday, February 25), CDC updated its recommended indicators for monitoring the impact of COVID-19 on communities and guiding decisions about community prevention strategies and individual behaviors. The new indicators represent a shift in focus from eliminating the spread of COVID-19 to minimizing severe illness and strain on our health care systems. The indicators that were previously used were developed at the beginning of the pandemic and relied on new COVID-19 case rates and the percentage of positive test results to determine community transmission level and risk. Under the previous guidelines, the CDC recommended anyone living in areas with substantial or high transmission of COVID-19 to wear a mask in public indoor settings. With widespread access to vaccines and testing, available treatment options, and high levels of population immunity, a refined approach to monitoring and preventing the transmission of COVID-19 is now necessary. 

As of February 25, 2022, the CDC will use COVID-19 Community Levels to inform the implementation of prevention strategies in U.S. communities. COVID-19 Community Levels are determined based on three key metrics:  

1. New COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 population in the past 7 days.  
2. The average percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients in the past 7 days. 
3. The number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in the past 7 days. 

Using these data, COVID-19 Community Levels will be defined as low, medium, or high. Under the new CDC guidance, unless an individual or someone they live with is at high risk for severe disease, wearing a well-fitting mask in public indoor settings is  recommended when a particular community is experiencing “high” COVID-19 Community Levels. Universal masking is also only recommended for schools in areas with high Community Levels.  Those who are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe disease are encouraged to talk with their health care provider about COVID-19 prevention strategies.

The new CDC guidance does not change current quarantine (if you are exposed) and isolation (if you test positive) guidance.  

The new Community Levels do not apply to health care settings, such as hospitals and nursing homes. Instead, health care settings should continue to use community transmission rates and continue to follow CDC's infection prevention and control recommendations for healthcare guidance.