#15,929
As mentioned in my earlier blog today, the CDC was expected to issue updated interim guidance today for face mask wearing and other social distancing measures for fully vaccinated individuals.
While it removes the mandate to wear a mask outdoors when around others, there are some caveats, including that this advice doesn't apply to large gatherings and certain venues. Additionally, anyone - even if fully vaccinated - should wear a mask if they have COVID-like symptoms.
While the new guidelines are useful at a community level, they may not apply to everyone. The CDC warns:
If you have a condition or are taking medications that weaken your immune system, you may NOT be fully protected even if you are fully vaccinated. Talk to your healthcare provider. Even after vaccination, you may need to continue taking all precautions.
I've reproduced the summary from the updated guidance below, but follow the link to read it in its entirety. Additionally, anyone planning to organize, or attend, a large gathering (indoors or outside) should consult the updated Guidance for Organizing Large Events and Gatherings.
Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People
Updated Apr. 27, 2021
Summary of Recent Changes
Updates as of April 27, 2021
- Guiding principles for fully vaccinated people are now provided.
- Underscore that immunocompromised people, need to consult their healthcare provider about these recommendations, even if fully vaccinated
- Fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask outdoors, except in certain crowded settings and venues.
- Clarification that fully vaccinated workers no longer need to be restricted from work following an exposure as long as they are asymptomatic.
- Fully vaccinated residents of non-healthcare congregate settings no longer need to quarantine following a known exposure.
- Fully vaccinated asymptomatic people without an exposure may be exempted from routine screening testing, if feasible.
Key PointsFor the purposes of this guidance, people are considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19 ≥2 weeks after they have received the second dose in a 2-dose series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna), or ≥2 weeks after they have received a single-dose vaccine (Johnson and Johnson (J&J)/Janssen).±This set of public health recommendations for fully vaccinated people will be updated and expanded based on the level of community spread of SARS-CoV-2, the proportion of the population that is fully vaccinated, and the rapidly evolving science on COVID-19 vaccines.± This guidance applies to COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson (J&J)/Janssen COVID-19 vaccines. This guidance can also be applied to COVID-19 vaccines that have been authorized for emergency use by the World Health Organization (e.g. AstraZeneca/Oxford).The following recommendations apply to non-healthcare settings. For related information for healthcare settings, visit Updated Healthcare Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations in Response to COVID-19 Vaccination.Fully vaccinated people can:
- Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
- Visit with unvaccinated people (including children) from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
- Participate in outdoor activities and recreation without a mask, except in certain crowded settings and venues
- Resume domestic travel and refrain from testing before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel.
- Refrain from testing before leaving the United States for international travel (unless required by the destination) and refrain from self-quarantine after arriving back in the United States.
- Refrain from testing following a known exposure, if asymptomatic, with some exceptions for specific settings
- Refrain from quarantine following a known exposure if asymptomatic
- Refrain from routine screening testing if asymptomatic and feasible
For now, fully vaccinated people should continue to:
- Take precautions in indoor public settings like wearing a well-fitted mask
- Wear masks that fit snuggly when visiting indoors with unvaccinated people who are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease or who have an unvaccinated household member who is at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease
- Wear well-fitted masks when visiting indoors with unvaccinated people from multiple households
- Avoid indoor large-sized in-person gatherings
- Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
- Follow guidance issued by individual employers
- Follow CDC and health department travel requirements and recommendations
As of today, only about 1/3rd of the nation is fully vaccinated, and some of those will have immune issues that preclude them from abandoning masks. While these latest recommendations will allow more opportunities for maskless interactions, outdoor mask wearing isn't going to disappear overnight.
