Fully Vaccinated People May Gather With Others Without a Mask, According to the CDC

by Dr. Jen Caudle

Times are a-changing! The CDC has updated its guidance for those who have received the COVID vaccine and it's a breath of fresh air! Take a peek at some of these new guidelines according to the CDC:

I. You Are fully vaccinated against COVID once either of the following criteria has been met:

• 2 weeks have passed since your second dose of a 2-dose COVID vaccine series, like the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or

• 2 weeks have passed after a single-dose vaccine, like Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.

II. Once fully vaccinated, you are able to do the following:

• You can gather indoors with other fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask.

• You can gather indoors with unvaccinated people from one other household without masks, as long as the unvaccinated people are low risk for severe illness from COVID19. To learn who is low risk and who is high risk, please click here.

• 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.

III. Once fully vaccinated, you still must follow these recommendations:

• You should still wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet apart from others, and avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces whenever you are:

1. In public

2. Gathering with unvaccinated people from more than one other household

3. 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.

I hope this is helpful! Please get your vaccine as soon as possible and stay safe!

- Dr. Jen

Dr. Jen Caudle is a Family Doctor & Associate Professor at Rowan University, an On-air health expert, and a video creator. Please sign up for her free newsletter and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for daily health videos. Purchase her comfy and stylish COVID vaccine shirts (and donate to the Red Cross by doing so) here.