- About 22% of the US population is partially vaccinated.
- Two of the approved vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) come in two parts, so for a while you are only partially protected.
- If you are partially vaccinated, you can go to the doctor, but avoid the bar.
- Visit the Insider home page for more stories.
With millions of people receiving COVID-19 vaccines a day, normalcy may be on the horizon.
President Joe Biden has announced that all Americans will be eligible for a vaccine by May 1, Johnson & Johnson and Merck are increasing production of the last vaccine to be approved in the United States and vaccine hunters are ensuring that no vaccines stay unused.
As more people get their first dose of Pfizer or Moderna (the two approved vaccines that require two doses), questions like “can I have dinner at home?” or “throw away my mask?” are trends on Google.
There is a good amount of time – about three to four weeks – to wait between administering the first and second doses. And it takes another two weeks after the second injection for you to be fully protected. (J&J takes about a month after the single dose for full immunity to kick in.)
The CDC has released guidelines on what is safe for people who are fully vaccinated – from visiting family members to eating indoors. But these guidelines apply only to a small portion of the population.
A large part of the United States’ population – approximately 72 million – is partially vaccinated. With no federal guidelines in place for this group, Insider asked Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease specialist at the Johns Hopkins University Health Security Center, what activities are safe.
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Do not.
Even if a single dose provides some protection, the bars can be critical points for the spread of COVID-19.
During the summer, hundreds of COVID-19 cases were linked to bars. The enclosed space, the screams and the proximity of other people are the perfect setting for the COVID-19 to spread.
However, if you want an alcoholic drink and are partially vaccinated, try to drink outdoors and keep your distance from others. Adalja said to stay away from popular and busy bars with people shouting and go to a simple wine bar where people are sitting instead.
(If you are fully vaccinated, you can go to a bar. If you are not vaccinated, you cannot.)
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yea.
“A partially vaccinated person will have a lower risk of getting the infection or spreading the infection than someone who has not been vaccinated,” Adalja told Insider.
So, if you are putting off a haircut, but have a single dose, going to the beauty salon is a low risk activity. But if you decide to cut your hair, keep the chatter to a minimum, as you can still emit viral particles.
(Vaccinated or not, the current mitigation strategies, such as wearing a mask and social distance, make beauty salons a safe environment).
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yea.
There is a good chance that your dentist will be fully vaccinated, since healthcare professionals were the first in line to get the injection. The partial immunity of the vaccine combined with the vaccination status of the frontline healthcare professional means that there is a low chance of obtaining COVID-19.
Dentists wear gloves and masks and have added extra safety measures to combat the spread of COVID-19. In addition, there were no cases of transmission of COVID-19 in the dentist from May to September.
Delaying dental care can lead to gum disease, which is associated with increased chances of dementia,
heart disease
and rheumatoid arthritis.
(So whether you are fully, partially or unvaccinated, you should still go to the dentist.)
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yea.
Similar to dentists, primary care physicians are probably fully vaccinated and have safety measures, such as wearing a mask, distance and symptom checkers. The chances of getting COVID-19 are very low between a fully vaccinated person and a partially vaccinated person.
Postponing a medical consultation during the pandemic led to interruptions in chronic care and missed diagnoses. People will deal with these effects for years.
(Regardless of your vaccination status, you should still go to the doctor.)
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Do not.
“Someone who was partially vaccinated after approximately two weeks or more after the first dose has significant immunity to the virus, at least for some period of time,” said Adalja.
Still, dining indoors is a risky move. A CDC study found that those who tested positive for COVID-19 were twice as likely to have eaten at a restaurant two weeks earlier. Another study found that a teenager was infected with COVID-19 from someone 20 meters away.
If you are dying to go to a restaurant, consider dining outdoors or plan a picnic.
(Fully vaccinated people can dine indoors, as long as everyone in your group has the same vaccination status. Unvaccinated people should not dine indoors.)
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yea.
“Everything will be individualized according to a person’s risk tolerance and the value that he attributes to the specific activity he wants to carry out,” said Adalja.
If you are partially vaccinated and dating is important to you, there is little chance of getting COVID-19. But if you’re still nervous about the risk, be outdoors or schedule a FaceTime call.
Cautious, unvaccinated couples can get creative and plan a barbecue with any ingredients from the pantry or create a spa day at home.
(If you haven’t been vaccinated but want to date, plan a virtual date. Dating is safe for people who are fully vaccinated, as there is a low risk of getting COVID-19.)
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yea.
“You are less likely to be a carrier of the virus if you are vaccinated with a single dose than when you were at a zero dose,” said Adalja.
But, whether you are immune to COVID-19 or not, hospital security measures and vaccinated healthcare professionals create a low-risk environment. An operation is more important than going to a routine check-up, as an untreated condition is more risky than getting COVID-19. Therefore, people who are totally, partially and not vaccinated should not postpone an operation.
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yea.
If you are partially vaccinated and fall on the risk-tolerant side, you can go to the gym, as long as you follow the rules.
“I think it is safer than it would be if you had not been vaccinated,” said Adalja of partially vaccinated people.
Adalja added that partially vaccinated people should follow the same recommendations as everyone else at the gym – wear a mask, maintain social distance and wash their hands.
(Fully vaccinated and unvaccinated people must also follow COVID-19 mitigation strategies.)
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yea.
“A partially vaccinated workforce is better than zeroing out on a vaccinated workforce,” said Adalja
The offices are outlining plans for a safe return to the office this summer. Adalja said that most offices should have social distance measures, masking and hand washing rules, and perhaps even scale who is in and out of the office.
“Having a dose of the vaccine makes it much safer than taking zero doses of a vaccine.”
(Whether you are fully vaccinated or not, wear a mask when you return to the office.)
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yea.
“I think taking a single dose of a vaccine makes it safer, makes it safer for you and makes it safer for others around you,” said Adalja.
Even if the single dose can give you a little peace of mind. It is important to wear a mask and keep your distance from others.
(People who are fully vaccinated also need to wear a mask. If you are not vaccinated, avoid public transport if you can).
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yea.
Even if partially vaccinated people do not have the same immunity as those with the second dose (or single dose with J&J), it is relatively safe to give a brief hug.
If you are over-careful, the new CDC guidance says that fully vaccinated grandparents can safely hug their grandchildren, so that partially vaccinated people can count the days before giving their family members a maskless hug.
(If you are not vaccinated but want to hug, wear a mask and do it quickly.)
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yea.
“A person who travels partially vaccinated is less at risk than he was before he was vaccinated,” said Adalja.
He added that it is not so much the mode of transport that is risky, but what you do when you travel. So, if you are partially vaccinated and decide to travel, avoid crowded areas and stay inside your bubble.
(Fully vaccinated people can travel safely. In fact, even Biden travels to the country. If you haven’t received a vaccine, avoid traveling.)