The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published new guidelines that people who have been completely vaccinated against coronavirus no longer need to be quarantined if they are exposed to someone infected with COVID-19.
“Fully vaccinated people who meet the criteria will no longer have to quarantine after exposure to someone with COVID-19,” the CDC said in the updated guide Wednesday.
“People vaccinated on exposure to someone with suspicion or confirmation of COVID-19 are not required to be quarantined if they meet all of the following criteria.”
Criteria include having had both Pfizer or Moderna vaccines (the two vaccines that are available to the U.S. public at this time) and that have passed at least two weeks since the second dose was administered. Studies have shown that complete immunity does not build up until a couple of weeks after the end of the vaccination regimen.
The CDC said people should also be quarantined if more than three months have passed since they received the second shot and are exposed to the virus, as it is unclear how long the protections last. People should also be quarantined if they have symptoms of coronavirus.
“This recommendation to waive quarantine for people with vaccine-derived immunity is in line with quarantine recommendations for those with natural immunity, which facilitates implementation,” the CDC said.
The agency stated that vaccinated people should continue to follow all other health guidelines, including masking and social distancing when possible. Studies have shown that those who have been inoculated could still contain the virus in their nose and throat and pass it on to those around them.
“At this time, vaccinated people should continue to follow current guidelines to protect themselves and others, including wearing a mask, stay at least 6 feet away from others, avoid congestion , avoid poorly ventilated areas, cover coughs and sneezes, wash your hands often following CDC travel guides and any applicable workplace or school guidance, including equipment use guide personal protective equipment or SARS-CoV-2 tests, ”the guide said.
The new direction comes when vaccine production offers some hope for the end of the pandemic.
The launch of Pfizer and Moderna shots has increased, with possibly more injections getting green light in the coming weeks.
However, cases and deaths remain high. More than 95,000 new cases occurred in the United States on Wednesday and 3,445 people died on Tuesday alone, according to the latest COVID Tracking Project data.