Based on what is known about COVID-19 vaccines, people who have been fully vaccinated can start to do some things they had stopped doing because of the pandemic.
Because science is still learning how vaccines will affect the spread of COVID-19, after people have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, they should keep taking precautions in public places like wearing a mask, staying 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces. Still, some things have changed now.
What’s Changed?
When people are fully vaccinated:
- They can gather indoors with fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask.
- They 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 unless you live in a group setting
What Hasn’t Changed
For now, if people have been fully vaccinated:
- They should still take steps to protect themselves and others in many situations, like wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces. They should take these precautions whenever they 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.
- They should still avoid medium or large-sized gatherings.
- They should still delay domestic and international travel. Travelers still need to follow CDC requirements and recommendations.
- Everyone should still watch out for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if they’ve been around someone who is sick. If someone has symptoms of COVID-19, they should get tested and stay home and away from others.
- Guidance still needs to be followed at the workplace.
What the CDC Knows and What They’re Still Learning
- They know COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing COVID-19 disease, especially severe illness and death.
- They’re still learning how effective the 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.
- They know that other prevention steps help stop the spread of COVID-19 and that these steps are still important, even as vaccines are being distributed.
- They’re still learning how well COVID-19 vaccines keep people from spreading the disease.
- Early data show that the vaccines may help keep people from spreading COVID-19, but they learn more as more people get vaccinated.
- They’re still learning how long COVID-19 vaccines can protect people.
- As they know more, CDC will continue to update their recommendations for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people.
