Americans can visit with others in small indoor gatherings, without masks or social distancing, once they’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday.
“You can visit your grandparents if you have been vaccinated and they have been too,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the agency’s leader.
It’s more complicated when vaccinated people mingle with unvaccinated people. She said those who are vaccinated can safely join small gatherings if the unvaccinated people are at low risk for serious disease.
There is still a small risk that vaccinated people could transmit COVID-19, and Walensky said research is ongoing. Mitigation steps like masks or spending time outdoors remain necessary if vulnerable people are involved. And, if going to a highly populated space where the variables are unknown (like a restaurant, bar, club, or similar event), vaccinated people should still wear masks and socially distance.
The announcement about the eagerly anticipated guidelines was made during a briefing by the White House task force on COVID-19.
“We are starting to turn a corner,” Walensky said. More than 31 million Americans have been fully vaccinated, and 59 million have received at least one dose. President Biden has said there will be enough doses available by the middle of May to vaccinate every American adult.
The state of the pandemic has created a delicate balancing act for the White House’s public health messaging. Officials have been encouraging people to get vaccinated as soon as possible and promised that “there is light at the end of the tunnel,” in Biden’s words. At the same time, they’ve pushed Americans to continue social distancing and wearing masks to limit the spread of the virus.
“This is a war,” said Jeff Zients, the COVID-19 task force leader. “We can’t let up.”
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Photo Credit: john smith williams / Shutterstock.com
Photo Credit: john smith williams / Shutterstock.com