CDC chief says vaccine mandates to be set locally

CHICAGO - Mandates in the United States to require people to be vaccinated against COVID-19 have been left to individual companies and institutions, Director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Rochelle Walensky said when giving an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday.

"It may very well be that local businesses, local jurisdictions will work towards vaccine mandates ... That is going to be locally driven and not federally driven," she said.

During a separately interview on "Fox News Sunday," Walensky said the decision to shed a face mask was based on "the honor system." "If you are not vaccinated, you are not safe. Please go get vaccinated or continue to wear your mask."

Walensky announced on Thursday that people who are fully vaccinated can participate in indoor and outdoor activities, large or small, without wearing a mask or physical distancing.

Governors in many US states have dropped mask mandates for vaccinated people specifically, while some others have lifted the mandates completely.