Department of Homeland Security will require all employees to wear masks and socially distance, even if they’re vaccinated

• The Department of Homeland Security is now requiring employees to wear masks indoors and socially distance.
• The agency said even vaccinated employees would be required to do so.
• The policy was made as COVID-19 cases involving the Delta variant continue to surge across the US.
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The US Department of Homeland Security announced on Wednesday that all of its employees must now wear masks indoors and socially distance to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The agency said the policy applies to everyone, even those who have been vaccinated.

The new policy was announced as cases involving the Delta variant continue to surge across the country.

DHS said it was following guidance from the Centers of the Disease Control and Prevention when it made the policy.

The CDC announced Tuesday that it was recommending people wear masks in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

"Infections happen in only a small proportion of people who are fully vaccinated, even with the Delta variant," the CDC said. "However, preliminary evidence suggests that fully vaccinated people who do become infected with the Delta variant can spread the virus to others."