So, You’re Fully Vaccinated—Now What?
Picture this: you’ve just received your second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine (or first and only, if you’re a lucky Johnson & Johnson recipient). Does that mean things are officially back to normal for you?
We’re sorry to be the bearer of just-okay news, but not necessarily, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That being said, while there are some precautions you’ll still have to take, there are changes you can start to make.
But first, it’s important we all get on the same page about what “fully vaccinated” really means. The CDC says you are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after your second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or two weeks after your Johnson and Johnson vaccine. Let us repeat that for you: you are not fully protected until two weeks after your shot.
With that clarification out of the way, let’s talk about what experts are saying can change and what should remain the same now that you’ve got your Fauci Ouchie.
What’s different?
You can be indoors with other fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask.
You can be indoors with unvaccinated people without masks, as long as they all belong to the same household (unless someone in that group is considered at-risk)
If you are identified as a close contact of someone who has Covid-19, you do not need to quarantine or be tested unless you have symptoms
What’s not different?
You should still take steps to protect yourself and others—such as wearing a mask or maintaining six feet of distance—when you’re in public, gathering with unvaccinated people from multiple households, or visiting with an unvaccinated person who is at increased risk.
The CDC is still recommending that you do not travel unless it’s absolutely necessary since different states are at different points in their vaccination plans (we know, this is REALLY not what you wanted to hear).
Some things to remember:
We’re still learning how effective the vaccine is against different strains of the virus or how effective it is against actually spreading the disease.
Many people will be unvaccinated for a while, so it is important to still take the necessary precautions to protect not only yourself but others.
Elon’s will still dictate what we can or can’t do on campus, and it may not always align with what people off-campus might be doing.
Even though that all doesn’t exactly sound like the return to normal we’ve all been preparing for, one Elon student was able to get fully vaccinated in early February and has been doing just fine.
Nadine Jose, an Elon sophomore, says she was incredibly diligent and cautious after her first and second doses. She made sure to limit social interactions, especially in the two weeks after her second vaccine because she wanted to give it time to be fully effective. Overall, she explains, “I think since I’ve had it since early February, I’m a little less scared walking around campus or being in social situations but I definitely don’t think I’m invincible.”
Jose’s experience reminds us all that while we are one step closer to the pandemic finally being over, it is still important to remain diligent and aware of those around you.