Full vaccination means that two weeks have passed since you received the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two weeks since you received a single dose of Johnson & Johnson.
Life may soon begin to look normal, but just because you’re vaccinated doesn’t mean you can handle it in a pre-pandemic style.
Here’s a quick guide to what you can – and still can’t do – after being vaccinated, according to the CDC:
Socialization
Can I see my friends and family once I am completely vaccinated?
Yes! Don’t throw a big party with everyone you know, but the CDC admits that socializing becomes much safer once vaccines are involved. The guidelines differ depending on whether the people you want to see are also vaccinated.
- With vaccinated people, you can gather inside without masks
- With unvaccinated people, you can gather indoors without masks with only members of a single household – as long as none of your unvaccinated friends / family are at high risk. This means that you still want to avoid seeing unvaccinated elderly people with underlying conditions that would make a potential COVID-19 infection particularly severe, just to be safer.
What about big meetings?
The CDC still recommends medium and large gatherings, even if you are completely vaccinated.
What about hugs?
Personal comfort at risk comes into play here, but the risk of transmitting COVID-19 with two fully vaccinated people is close to zero, so hugs should be fairly safe there. When one person is vaccinated and the other is at low risk, hugging is also low risk for members of a single household.
MASKING
Do I have to wear a mask if I’m still vaccinated?
Vaccination does not exempt you from local and state ordinances on wearing masks or face coverings in public. While the CDC says you can socialize with members of a household inside and unmask, the agency still suggests wearing a mask when you are around many people, in public, or on commissions.
You should still wear a mask or face covering, plus practice 6 feet apart when:
- Socializing with people from several households inside
- Visit with people at high risk of COVID-19 and unvaccinated
- In public
Travel
Can I travel now that I’m completely vaccinated?
The CDC further suggests avoiding unnecessary domestic and international travel. Many countries still prohibit American citizens from entering.
If you have to travel, you must still comply with any restrictions, such as wearing a mask on an airline or performing a PCR test before you arrive (depending on your destination).
In quarantine
Do I have to self-quarantine if exposed to COVID-19?
If you come in contact with someone who has COVID-19 and you are completely vaccinated, you no longer need to self-quarantine if you have no symptoms.
If you start to have symptoms, you should self-quarantine and test yourself, says the CDC.
See the full CDC guides here.
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