The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a new guideline that people who have been fully 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 be required to quarantine after exposure to someone with COVID-19,” said the CDC in the updated guidance on Wednesday.
“People vaccinated with exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not required to be quarantined if they meet all of the following criteria.”
The criteria include having taken both Pfizer or Moderna vaccines – the two vaccines currently available to the US public – and that at least two weeks have passed since the second dose was administered. Studies have shown that total immunity is not built up until a few weeks after the end of the vaccine regimen.
The CDC said people should also be quarantined if more than three months have passed since they received their second injection and were exposed to the virus, since it is unclear how long the protections last. People should also be quarantined if they have symptoms of coronavirus.
“This recommendation to dispense quarantine for people with immunity derived from the vaccine aligns with the quarantine recommendations for those with natural immunity, which facilitates implementation,” said the CDC.
The agency said vaccinated people should continue to follow all other health guidelines, including wearing a mask and social detachment when possible. Studies have shown that those who have been inoculated may still have the virus in their nose and throat and pass it on to people around them.
“At this point, vaccinated people should continue to follow current guidelines to protect themselves and others, including wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet away from others, avoiding crowds, avoiding poorly ventilated spaces, covering coughs and sneezing, washing hands frequently, following CDC travel guidelines and following any guidance applicable to the workplace or school, including guidelines related to the use of personal protective equipment or SARS-CoV-2 testing, “said the guidance.
The new orientation comes at a time when vaccine production offers a glimpse of hope for an end to the pandemic.
The launch of Pfizer and Moderna injections has increased, with possibly more injections getting the green light in the coming weeks.
However, cases and deaths remain high. There were more than 95,000 new cases in the United States on Wednesday, and 3,445 people died on Tuesday alone, according to the latest figures from the COVID Tracking Project.