The CDC said vaccinated people no longer need masks in most indoor and outdoor places. Here's what that means for businesses, variants and kids. RELATED: https://bit.ly/3v1iHqB At least eight states began to lift mask mandates following the CDC's updated guidance that fully vaccinated Americans could discard masks outdoors and in many situations indoors. The new guidelines announced by Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, represent a major step toward a return to normalcy for a nation battered and at times divided by a pandemic that has lasted more than a year. » Subscribe to USA TODAY: http://bit.ly/1xa3XAh » Watch more on this and other topics from USA TODAY: https://bit.ly/33HplpV » USA TODAY delivers current local and national news, sports, entertainment, finance, technology, and more through award-winning journalism, photos, videos and VR.