CDC: Fully Vaccinated People Can Gather Indoors Without Masks

There are still many situations where even fully vaccinated people are recommended to mask up.

(Undated) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has good news for people who are fully vaccinated.

In a news release Monday, people who have been fully vaccinated can start to do some things that they had stopped doing because of the pandemic.

People are considered fully vaccinated:

• Two weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, like the Pfizer or Mderna vaccines, or
• Two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, like Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine.

Anyone falling outside the above parameters is considered NOT fully protected.

If you have been fully vaccinated:

• You can gather indoors with fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask.
• You can gather indoors with unvaccinated people from one other household (for example, visiting with relatives who all live together) without masks, unless any of those people or anyone they live with has an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
• If you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless you have symptoms.
  • However, if you live in a group setting (like a correctional or detention facility or group home) and are around someone who has COVID-19, you should still stay away from others for 14 days and get tested, even if you don’t have symptoms.

For now, if you’ve been fully vaccinated:

• You should still take steps to protect yourself and others in many situations, like wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces. Take these precautions whenever you are:
  • In public
  • Gathering with unvaccinated people from more than one other household
  • Visiting with an unvaccinated person who is at increased risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19 or who lives with a person at increased risk
• You should still avoid medium or large-sized gatherings.
• You should still delay domestic and international travel. If you do travel, you’ll still need to follow CDC requirements and recommendations.
• You should still watch out for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you’ve been around someone who is sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested and stay home and away from others.
• You will still need to follow guidance at your workplace.

The CDC adds that they are still learning how effective vaccines are against variants of the virus that causes COVID-19. Early data show the vaccines may work against some variants but could be less effective against others.

The organization is still studying how well vaccines keep people from spreading the disease and how long the vaccines can protect people.

For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/coronaviurs.