CDC releases guidelines on what you can do after vaccination

March 9, 2021

With roughly 20% of U.S. residents having received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, many are wondering when life can return to a semblance of our pre-pandemic lives. It is understandable that people are eager to see friends and family in-person rather than through a screen, go out to eat, or listen to live music again, particularly in light of the upcoming loosening of certain restrictions in Connecticut.

To that end, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued new guidelines on what kinds of activities are safe to resume after you and your family are fully vaccinated.

According to the CDC, once you are 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.

While this is certainly good news, the CDC does still recommend, however, that everyone, including those fully vaccinated, continue to wear masks and practice social distancing when in a public place or at a social gathering with unvaccinated people from multiple households. The CDC also strongly recommends avoiding medium and large sized gatherings, as well as extensive domestic or international travel.

A reminder- you are only considered fully vaccinated after two weeks following:

  • The second of two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine; or
  • The single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine

To read more about these new guidelines from the CDC, click here. As we work to get everyone vaccinated and finally put this pandemic behind us, make sure to wear your mask, practice social distancing, and wash your hands.