Fully vaccinated people can gather indoor without masks and social distancing: US medical body

The new guidance-which is based on the latest science-includes recommendations for how and when a fully vaccinated individual can visit with other people who are fully vaccinated and with other people who are not vaccinated.

This guidance represents a first step toward returning to everyday activities in our communities.

“We know that people want to get vaccinated so they can get back to doing the things they enjoy with the people they love,” said CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH.

“There are some activities that fully vaccinated people can begin to resume now in their own homes. Everyone – even those who are vaccinated – should continue with all mitigation strategies when in public settings. As the science evolves and more people get vaccinated, we will continue to provide more guidance to help fully vaccinated people safely resume more activities,” said Walensky.

As per the latest recommendations, fully vaccinated people can gather indoors without wearing masks or staying 6 feet apart.

Vaccinated people can also visit with those unvaccinated from one other household indoors without wearing masks or staying 6 feet apart if everyone in the other household is at low risk for severe disease.

Once vaccinated, one can refrain from quarantine and testing if they do not have symptoms of COVID-19 even after contact with someone who has the infection.

A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last required dose of vaccine.

Although vaccinations are accelerating, CDC estimates that just 9.2% of the US population has been fully vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine that the FDA has authorized for emergency use.

"While the new guidance is a positive step, the vast majority of people need to be fully vaccinated before COVID-19 precautions can be lifted broadly. Until then, it is important that everyone continues to adhere to public health mitigation measures to protect the large number of people who remain unvaccinated," the CDC statement said.

CDC, however, recommended that fully vaccinated people continue to take these COVID-19 precautions when in public, when visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple other households, and when around unvaccinated people who are at high risk of getting severely ill from the virus.