CDC allowed vaccinated people not to wear masks

Fully Vaccinated Americans Can Collect With Other Vaccinespeople in a room without a mask and social distancing, reports ABC.

Photo: Shutterstock

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines also say vaccinated people can gather in the same way—in the same household—with people considered to be at low risk for severe disease, such as if vaccinated grandparents are visiting healthy grandchildren.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced new guidelines on Monday, March 8.

The guidance is intended to address growing demand as more adults get the vaccine and wonder whether it gives them more freedom to visit family members, travel or do other “pre-pandemic” things.

“As more and more people are vaccinated every day, we are approaching a tipping point,” said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky.

During a press briefing, she called leadership a “first step” in restoring normal human interaction. She said more activities would be allowed for vaccinated people as morbidity and mortality decreased, more Americans were vaccinated, and as more scientific evidence emerged on the ability of vaccinated people to infect others and spread the virus.

The CDC continues to recommend that fully vaccinated people wear well-fitting masks, avoid large crowds, and physically distance themselves from others in public. The CDC also advised vaccinated people to get tested if they develop symptoms that could be associated with COVID-19.

CDC executives do not mention people who may have acquired some level of immunity as a result of infection and recovery from the coronavirus.

Officials say a person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last required dose of the vaccine. About 31 million Americans — or only about 9% of the U.S. population — have been fully vaccinated with a federally approved COVID-19 vaccine, according to the CDC.

Authorized doses of the vaccine first became available in December, and they were formulations that required two doses spaced several weeks apart. Since January, a small but growing number of Americans have been fully vaccinated. These people ask questions like: “Should I still wear a mask? Can I go to the bar now? Will I finally be able to see my grandchildren?

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The guidance was “welcome news for a country that is understandably weary of the pandemic and eager to safely resume normal activities,” said Richard Besser, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting director of the CDC.

“I hope this new guidance provides momentum for everyone to get vaccinated when possible and gives states the patience to follow the public health plan needed to safely reopen their economies and communities,” Besser said.

But some people think this is overly cautious guidance.

Ali Khan, dean of the University of Nebraska College of Public Health, said the guidance makes sense in many ways — except for travel. The CDC has not changed its travel recommendations: avoid non-essential travel and get tested within a few days of travel. It may seem confusing for vaccinated people hoping to visit family across the country or abroad.

“They need to make it easier for vaccinated people to travel and immediately publish electronic standards for documents that show whether a person is fully vaccinated,” said Hahn, who was previously a top CDC official.

The new guidance also says nothing about going to restaurants or other places, although governors are lifting restrictions on doing business, said Leana Ven, an emergency doctor and professor of public health at George Washington University, who was previously Baltimore's health commissioner.

But some people who were fully vaccinated were happy with the news.

Ruth Michenzi was among those who received the second and final dose of the vaccine at a pharmacy at Stop and Shop in Woburn, Massachusetts on the morning of March 8. A 91-year-old resident of neighboring Burlington said she doesn't care that she still has to wear a mask in public and follow other safety rules even after being fully vaccinated, but she would be happy to finally take off her mask in front of her three great-grandchildren. She has seen them in person since the first injection about a month ago, but did not remove the mask.

“I hope they remember me,” she said.

“I've been doing all this for a year, and I don't want this year to be wasted,” Micenzi said of the safety protocols. “I think it would be wise to wait.”

However, a couple of people who did not queue up for vaccinations grumbled openly about the continued restrictions and raised concerns that stricter travel and social requirements would follow, even if more people were vaccinated.

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Grace McShane, 61, of Melrose, also received a second dose on March 8 at the same supermarket. She says she was vaccinated because she has a high risk of getting sick. The caregiver said she too was satisfied with the continued restrictions even after vaccinations.

“Even if you have been vaccinated, it is better to be safe than sorry. This is the new normal. It’s part of life and you just have to adapt to it,” McShane said.

She says she is looking forward to hugging her three grandchildren without a mask. Her adult children were also vaccinated as key workers.

“Just give them a hug,” McShane says. “That's all I want to do.”

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