The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Monday published Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People. The CDC considers fully vaccinated people those who have passed the two-week mark from receiving the second dose of a two-dose vaccine, or receiving the first dose of a single-dose vaccine.

According to the CDC fully vaccinated people can:

• Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
• Visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
• Refrain from quarantine and testing following a known exposure if asymptomatic

However, for now, fully vaccinated people should continue to:

• Take precautions in public like wearing a well-fitted mask and physical distancing
• Wear masks, practice physical distancing, and adhere to other prevention measures when visiting 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 masks, maintain physical distance, and practice other prevention measures when visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple households
• Avoid medium- and 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

According to the CDC, more and more evidence is emerging suggesting that fully vaccinated people are less likely to have asymptomatic infections and are also less likely to transmit SARS-CoV-2 to other people.

However, investigations are ongoing to determine how long vaccines protect people against COVID-19.

Fully vaccinated people should continue to watch out for symptoms of COVID-19 and if they develop any, they should self-isolate and get tested. If they come into contact with positive cases but do not develop any symptoms, they do not need to quarantine or get tested.

The CDC noted that indoor visits between a group of fully vaccinated people, without face masks or social distancing, are ‘likely low risk.’ Additionally, visits between fully vaccinated people and unvaccinated people, without face masks or social distancing, are also ‘likely low risk,’ but 'the level of precautions taken should be determined by the characteristics of the unvaccinated people.'

The article noted that “Unvaccinated people that are from a single household that does not have individuals at risk of severe COVID-19 can visit with fully vaccinated people indoors, without anyone wearing masks, with a low risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission.” However, if unvaccinated people go to a household where there are people at increased risk of severe COVID-19, everyone should wear face masks and maintain a safe distance.

When a visit includes people from more than two households, all people should wear face masks and maintain a safe distance. The same applies for medium to large-sized gatherings, regardless of people’s vaccination status.