>>> ON THURSDAY, NEW YORK CITY
MAYOR BILL de BLASIO ANNOUNCED
THE BIGGEST CITY WILL FULLY
REOPEN FOR BUSINESS ON JULY 1st.
THAT NEWS ALONG WITH THE CDC'S
RELAXING OF ITS GUIDANCE ON
WEARING MASKS OUTDOORS AND THE
WIDESPREAD AVAILABILITY OF
VACCINES ARE SIGNS OF HOPE FOR A
COUNTRY WEARY AFTER 14 LONG
MONTHS UNDER THE CLOUD OF THIS
PANDEMIC.
SO AS AMERICA LOOKS AHEAD, WHICH
RESTRICTIONS WILL REMAIN IN
PLACE AND WHO EXACTLY STILL
NEEDS TO WEAR A MASK?
NBC'S SENIOR MEDICAL
CORRESPONDENT DR. JOHN TORRES
HAS OUR SUNDAY FOCUS.
>> Reporter: AMERICA IS
BEGINNING TO UNMASK AS THE CDC
OFFERS NEW GUIDANCE FOR THE
FULLY VACCINATED.
>> FOR VACCINATED PEOPLE,
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES WITHOUT A
MASK ARE SAFE.
>> Reporter: THE AGENCY
RELEASING THIS CHART TO SHOW
PEOPLE WHEN THEY NEED THEIR FACE
COVERING AND WHEN THEY DON'T.
VACCINATED OR NOT, IT'S NOW SAFE
TO WALK, RUN OR BIKE OUTSIDE
WITHOUT A MASK IN OPEN AREAS.
IF YOU ARE FULLY VACCINATED,
ATTENDING SMALL OUTDOOR
GATHERINGS IS OKAY, TOO.
INDOORS, WITH OTHERS FROM
OUTSIDE YOUR HOUSEHOLD, THE
GUIDANCE IS THAT THE MASKS
SHOULD STAY ON, VACCINATED OR
NOT, AND SOCIAL DISTANCING
SHOULD STILL BE OBSERVED.
LESTER HOLT SPOKE TO THE CDC
DIRECTOR ABOUT THE NEW GUIDANCE
THIS WEEK.
>> DR. WALENSKY, WHAT CHANGED IN
THE SCIENCE THAT ALLOWED THIS TO
NEW RECOMMENDATION TO BE MADE?
>> THERE'S BOTH A CHANGE IN THE
SCIENCE AND THE CHANGE IN WHERE
WE ARE WITH THE PANDEMIC.
LESS THAN 10% OF CASES OF
COVID-19 HAVE BEEN OCCURRING
OUTDOORS.
WE HAVE THE SCIENCE TO SAY,
OUTDOOR TRANSMISSION IS MUCH
RARER THAN INDOOR TRANSMISSION.
>> Reporter: VACCINATIONS REMAIN
THE KEY PANTHWAY TO REGAIN
ACTIVITIES INDOORS AND OUT.
>> THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES.
>> Reporter: DURING HIS JOINT
ADDRESS TO CONGRESS, PRESIDENT
BIDEN TOUTED THE SUCCESS OF THE
FIGHT AGAINST COVID UNDER HIS
ADMINISTRATION.
>> OUR PROGRESS THESE PAST 100
DAYS AGAINST ONE OF THE WORST
PANDEMICS IN HISTORY HAS BEEN
ONE OF THE GREATEST LOGISTICAL
ACHIEVEMENTS THIS COUNTRY HAS
SEEN.
>> Reporter: SO FAR, THERE HAVE
BEEN MORE THAN 230 MILLION SHOTS
GIVE "NIG
GIVEN IN THE U.S.
SOME REMAIN HESITANT TO GET
THEIR DOSE.
OFFICIALS REMINDING ANYONE WITH
CONCERNS THAT THEY SHOULD TALK
TO A DOCTOR OR SOMEONE THEY KNOW
WHO HAS ALREADY GOTTEN THEIR
VACCINE.
WHERE DO WE NEED TO GO FROM
HERE?
>> WE NEED TO USE AS MANY
CHANNELS AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO
REACH PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE.
THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT
GOVERNMENT CAN DO.
THIS IS WHAT ALL OF US CAN DO TO
GET PEOPLE VACCINATED.
>> Reporter: DESPITE THE NUMBER
OF VACCINATIONS CONTINUING TO GO
UP, CASES OF COVID-19 ARE STILL
DANGEROUSLY HIGH AND MORE THAN
600 PEOPLE A DAY LOSE THEIR
LIVES TO THE VIRUS.
>> WE HAVE HAD THREE UPDATED
GUIDANCES OF WHAT YOU CAN DO IF
YOU ARE FULLY VACCINATED.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO MORE.
THIS VIRUS TRICKED US BEFORE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW IT GOES
BEFORE MAKING FURTHEST MAGSS OF
W
-- ESTIMATIONS.
>> Reporter: AS THE NATION
REMAINS ANXIOUS FOR A RETURN TO
NORMAL.
THE BEST WAY BACK IS TO FOLLOW
THE GUIDELINES AND GET
VACCINATED.
>> DR. TORRES JOINS ME LIVE.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
THERE ARE GREAT SIGNS OF HOPE,
NORMAL LIFE IS IN SIGHT.
VACCINATION RATES STILL ARE NOT
WHERE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS
WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR OUR
RECOVERY?
>> GOOD MORNING, WILLIE.
EVEN THOUGH VACCINATED, WE ARE
GETTING TO DO MORE, THERE ARE A
NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY
WON'T GET THE SHOT.
ACCORDING TO SEVERAL POLLS OUT
THIS WEEK, AROUND 20% OF
AMERICANS ARE SAYING THEY WON'T
GET THE VACCINE.
HOWEVER, THAT NUMBER HAS
CONSISTENTLY GOT DOWN MONTH
AFTER MONTH, SHOWING THAT PEOPLE
ARE GETTING MORE COMFORTABLE
WITH IT.
AS THEY SEE OTHERS BACK TO MORE
NORMAL LIFE, THIS WILL HELP
CONVINCE THEM THE VACCINE WILL
NOT ONLY HELP THEM BUT ALSO
THEIR COMMUNITY.
>> FOR WHAT IT'S W