Your questions, answered "Should seniors wait 'extra' time to start unmasking and mingling in crowds and/or indoors? In other words, is it advisable to wait two or three weeks after the county or state has lifted the mask mandates before not wearing them indoors? Similar question regarding mingling in crowds indoors when they don't know the people and can't evaluate their vaccination status." — Jim in California As with all personal health matters, consult with your doctor or health-care provider. They'll give you the best advice based on your age and medical history. That said, it's a good idea for seniors to wait a bit before losing the mask in public indoor settings, or in private settings with people from several households. The same goes for people with serious underlying conditions or compromised immune systems. Age is a major risk factor for severe disease — the majority of covid-19 deaths in the United States were patients over 65. Even with cases declining around the country, you still face higher risks than a younger person right now. Masking up offers reduces that risk substantially, provided you're wearing a well-fitted N95, KN95 or surgical mask. There's certainly no harm in continuing to mask for a few more weeks until infections subside further. This, of course, doesn't mean you need to lock down like it's March 2020. In addition to masking, there are other mitigations you can take so you can live your life without worrying too much about the virus. Check what virus transmission is like in your community. The CDC recently launched a helpful website for this, available here. Enter your state and county to find out whether your area is at low, medium or high risk for infections. In medium-risk areas, people with underlying health conditions should consider wearing masks and taking other precautions, according to the CDC. In high-risk areas, everyone should do so. If you're getting together with friends, relatives or acquaintances indoors, ask them about their vaccination status and share yours with them. Also consider taking rapid tests if you're mingling indoors with groups of people outside your immediate household, and try to keep the space you're gathering in well ventilated. On a personal level, I have a couple family members I see regularly who are at high risk for severe disease, and some who are too young to get vaccinated. Here's how I'm handling these decisions to help keep them safe: I'm still masking up in indoor public settings; I try to get tested regularly; and I avoid spending time indoors with anyone I know to be unvaccinated. I live in the District of Columbia, where the CDC currently lists our risk as low. There are no zero-risk scenarios, so your personal risk tolerances might look different than mine. | 
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