People vaccinated against COVID-19 can skip quarantine if they have been exposed to someone infected with the deadly bug, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its latest guidelines.
“Fully vaccinated people who meet the criteria will no longer have to quarantine after exposure to someone with COVID-19,” the CDC said.
“People vaccinated with exposure to someone with suspicion or confirmation of COVID-19 are not required to be quarantined if they meet all of the following criteria,” the agency added.
The CDC noted that vaccinated people should continue to wear a mask, keep a minimum distance of three meters from others, avoid crowds, and wash their hands often.
According to the updated guide, people who received both Pfizer / BioNTech or Moderna vaccines can only skip quarantine if at least two weeks have passed since the second shot, as it takes so long to build complete immunity.
But the CDC noted that people who received their last shot three months or more ago should still be quarantined if exposed because it is not known how long the protection lasts.
They should also be quarantined if they show symptoms, the agency added.
“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.
Meanwhile, vacant hospitalized patients and residents at health centers should continue in quarantine after exposure to someone with a suspected or confirmed case of the disease, he said.
“Outpatients should be careful about proper transmission-based precautions. This exception is due to the unknown efficacy of the vaccine in this population, the increased risk of serious illness and death, and the challenges with social distancing in health settings, ”the CDC said.