COVID-19: Fully Vaccinated – Now What?
/As an increasing number of Americans receive the COVID-19 vaccine, questions have emerged regarding behavioral guidelines and safety measures for fully vaccinated individuals.
WellcomeMD physicians answer some of the most pressing questions they hear from vaccinated members below.
Click on each question to expand the answer.
+ Once I’m vaccinated, how long does it take until I reach immunity?
People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of a two-dose series, like Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, or two weeks after their single-dose vaccine, like Johnson & Johnson.
+ Can I still spread the virus?
The answer to this question is largely unknown, which is part of the reason vaccinated individuals are still encouraged to wear masks and avoid large gatherings. Researchers are currently exploring this question and some of the preliminary data is encouraging. However, at this point we don’t fully understand how well the vaccine prevents virus spread.
+ What precautions should I continue to take?
Even when vaccinated, you should continue to wear a mask in public, practice social distancing, wash your hands frequently, and avoid medium or large gatherings. The vaccines protect you from severe illness, hospitalization, and death due to COVID-19. However, the vaccines do not completely prevent you from contracting the virus, so caution is still recommended. Additionally, there is still a chance that vaccinated people can still spread the virus (see previous question).
+ Do I need to wear a mask around other vaccinated people?
Masks are encouraged in public settings since there’s no way to know the vaccination status of everyone around you. In private indoor or outdoor settings, you do not need to wear a mask when gathering with other individuals who have been fully vaccinated.
+ I want to visit with people outside of my household who are not vaccinated. Can I safely visit them without wearing a mask?
In private indoor or outdoor settings, you do not need to wear a mask if the unvaccinated individuals are from one other household and are not at risk of severe illness. You should not visit indoors without a mask with anyone who is at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19, since you can potentially spread the virus to others.
+ Can I eat indoors at a restaurant?
Indoor dining remains relatively high-risk because of the close proximity to people outside of your household who are not wearing masks. Outdoor dining is still the safer option.
+ If I am exposed to someone with COVID-19, what should I do?
You do not need to quarantine or get tested unless you have symptoms. If you have symptoms, then you should get tested and self-quarantine while waiting for the results.
+ Do I need to quarantine and get tested for COVID-19 after I travel?
Once you have been fully vaccinated you do not need to quarantine after you travel. If you are travelling domestically, you do not need to get tested for COVID-19 before or after you travel. If you travel internationally, you do not need to get tested before leaving the U.S. unless your destination requires a test. However, you will still need to show a negative test result before boarding a flight to the U.S. The CDC also still recommends getting tested for COVID-19 three-five days after international travel.
