Minnesotans Fully Vaccinated- New CDC Guidelines

Now that the vaccine is more readily available, including the Johnson & Johnson vaccine that is just one dose, the CDC is releasing new guidelines for social gatherings indoors.

A person is considered fully vaccinated after 2 weeks of receiving the second dose or after the first dose if receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.  When you are considered fully vaccinated, you can participate in some more social activities even around people who are not vaccinated, with some guidelines. This is referring to private social gatherings, not public ones... yet.

This is what the CDC has directed:

• Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or staying 6 feet apart.
• Visit with unvaccinated people 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.
• Refrain from quarantine and testing if they do not have symptoms of COVID-19 after contact with someone who has COVID-19.

At least this is allowing grandparents who haven't been able to see their families, kids and grandchildren for a year or more able to see their loved ones.  This really does mean a lot to so many people.  When this is something you normally would have looked forward to on a regular basis and it was taken away for so long, this is a huge improvement.

And, I like the fact that if you have been exposed, and you are fully vaccinated, you don't  have to get tested or even quarantine unless you develop symptoms.  This is also a huge improvement.  Baby steps, but at least it's moving in the right direction.

If you are fully vaccinated and in public, and/or around people who are unvaccinated and/or at a higher risk of getting severely sick from COVID, the guidelines haven't really changed as of yet.  Those remain in place.

• Wear a well-fitted mask.
• Stay at least 6 feet from people you do not live with.
• 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.

This part is what we've all been used to for a year. Hopefully things continue to improve.