Got vaccine? Now what? On Monday, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released guidelines for those who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. In order to be considered “completely vaccinated” sets in two weeks after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after the single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
Those who have received both doses of the vaccine can now meet without masks in small groups. Additionally, they may “gather without masks or social-distancing indoors” and “unvaccinated family members may gather with vaccinated family.” Also, the need to be quarantined after someone has been exposed to someone who has tested positive for coronavirus is no longer necessary for those who have been vaccinated.
A vaccinated person is recommended to quarantine, only if they develop symptoms. CDC director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement, “there are some activities that fully vaccinated people can begin to resume now in the privacy of their own homes.” So, the CDC is still using rhetoric such as “privacy” in one’s “own home.”
Walensky also said, “everyone – even those who are vaccinated – should continue with all mitigation strategies when in public settings.” Vaccinated Americans are still recommended to practice social distancing and mask-wearing in public settings and in large groups of people.
As for travel, there have not been any updated guidelines for those who are vaccinated, meaning they are still urged to be tested for COVID-19 before and after traveling. According to the CDC, over 17 percent of Americans have received at least one vaccine shot and only 9 percent is fully vaccinated. According to Bloomberg’s coronavirus vaccine tracker, the U.S. is currently administering over two million doses of the vaccine daily.
