It’s been a year since shopping has turned from a mundane task to a complicated one. As efforts to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine increase in many supermarkets in their own region, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have released new guidelines on how to protect yourself and others.
“Based on what we know about the COVID-19 vaccines, people who have been fully vaccinated can start doing some things that they have stopped doing because of the pandemic,” said the CDC.
Here is everything you need to know about grocery shopping during the vaccine launch, including the latest CDC safety guidelines. For more information on how to stay safe from the new coronavirus, here’s the vitamin that doctors are asking everyone to take now.
Some rules that are the same:
Even if you are fully vaccinated, the CDC still recommends staying 6 feet away from other people when you are in public. Continue to avoid overcrowding while shopping and use the stickers on the floor in the checkout lines to keep a safe distance.
As we already know, you do not need to wash food purchased at the store. However, using hand sanitizer and washing your hands is still necessary. To help you navigate the aisles, we have put together a useful list of the most germinating areas of the supermarket.
Most mask mandates remain in effect, and you should still wear a mask in public, even if you are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. It is impossible to know who else around you is fully vaccinated, but wearing a mask while shopping helps to keep everyone safe.
Related: This grocery store continues to face adverse reactions to its COVID-19 policies
And some rules that are different:
Texas and Mississippi recently suspended their state masks mandates, placing the decision whether or not to demand masks in the hands of companies. On March 10, some supermarkets in the state of Lonestar were not demanding customers who wear a mask: HEB, Central Market and Albertsons. At the same time, all three chains are encouraging customers continue to use one.
The CDC recently published new research showing that the masks’ mandates slow the spread of the virus. “We have already seen this film: when preventive measures, such as wearing masks, are lifted, cases increase,” said CDC director Rochelle Walensky during a March 5 news conference at the White House.
Fully vaccinated people from up to two families can meet indoors without wearing a mask. However, you must first consider whether someone is at risk of serious illness due to COVID-19.
Both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are 95% effective in preventing symptomatic infections, according to Yale Medicine. So if you’ve been fully vaccinated, a trip to the supermarket can be a lot less daunting.
Related: 10 supermarket safety tips from a health expert
In November, 11 supermarkets partnered with the federal government to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to hundreds of thousands of Americans. Six chains were already offering vaccines until January, and distribution efforts continue to expand in March. Walmart is even launching drive-thru vaccines in some of its locations in 18 states.
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