People vaccinated against COVID-19 can skip quarantine if they have been exposed to someone infected with the deadly virus, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said in its most recent guide.
“Fully vaccinated people who meet the criteria will no longer be required to be quarantined after exposure to someone with COVID-19,” said the CDC.
“People vaccinated with exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not required to be quarantined if they meet all of the criteria below,” added the agency.
The CDC noted that vaccinated people should continue to wear masks, stand at least two meters away from others, avoid crowds and wash their hands frequently.
According to the updated guidance, people who received both vaccines from Pfizer / BioNTech or Moderna can skip quarantine only if at least two weeks have passed since the second injection, as it takes that time to build up total immunity.
But the CDC noted that people who received their last injection three months or more should still be quarantined if they are 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 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.
In the meantime, vaccinated patients and residents of healthcare facilities must remain in quarantine after exposure to someone with a suspected or confirmed case of the disease, the report said.
“Outpatients should be treated with appropriate transmission-based precautions. This exception is due to the unknown efficacy of the vaccine in this population, the greater risk of serious illness and death and the challenges of social distance in health settings ”, said the CDC.