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With the federal government ramping up production of the vaccine, the CDC announced that “asymptomatic fully-vaccinated individuals” who receive both doses can skip quarantine, provided the second shot was more than two weeks prior.
Health officials said that it takes at least two weeks to build full immunity after receiving the second dose of the vaccine.
“Fully vaccinated persons who meet criteria will no longer be required to quarantine following an exposure to someone with COVID-19,” the CDC posted online. “Vaccinated persons with an exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not required to quarantine if they meet all of the following criteria.”
The CDC cautioned that it is still unclear how long protection lasts following the full COVID-19 vaccination, and that current precautions should still be taken. Anyone who received their vaccination more than three months earlier has also been advised to adhere to quarantine if they are exposed to the virus.
“This recommendation to waive quarantine for people with vaccine-derived immunity aligns with quarantine recommendations for those with natural immunity, which eases implementation," the CDC said. The agency will update guidance as more is learned.
“At this time, vaccinated persons should continue to follow current guidance to protect themselves and others, including wearing a mask, staying at least six feet away from others, avoiding crowds, avoiding poorly ventilated spaces, covering coughs and sneezes, washing hands often, following CDC travel guidance, and following any applicable workplace or school guidance, including guidance related to personal protective equipment use or COVID-19 testing.”
According to the CDC, it is unclear how effective the vaccine is for patients who are hospitalized with the virus.
“Although not preferred, healthcare facilities could consider waiving quarantine for vaccinated patients and residents as a strategy to mitigate critical issues when other options are unsuccessful or unavailable,” the guidance says. “These decisions could be made in consultation with public health officials and infection control experts."
Complete guidance from the CDC can be found here.
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