Can I Take Off My Mask? - My HealtheVet

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CDC issues new guidelines for when you’ve been fully vaccinated

Have you been fully vaccinated, but aren’t sure what to do next? If you’ve been vaccinated, you’ve reduced your risk of getting COVID-19. But there are still some safety precautions you should follow.

CDC has new guidelines to help you understand what’s safe to do now, and what hasn’t changed.

What's changed?

If you’ve been fully vaccinated:

• You can gather indoors with fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask.

• You can visit friends and family from one other household who all live together without masks unless any of those people or anyone they live with has an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

• If you’re exposed to COVID-19, only get tested if you have symptoms.

• If you live in a group setting and are around someone who has COVID-19, you should still stay away from others for 14 days and get tested, even if you don’t have symptoms.

What Hasn’t Changed

For now, if you’ve been fully vaccinated:

• You should still protect yourself and others by wearing a mask, staying 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces.

• Take precautions whenever you’re in public or spending time with anyone unvaccinated, especially if they’re at an increased risk of severe illness.

• Avoid medium or large-sized gatherings.

• Delay travel. If you do travel, you’ll need to follow CDC requirements.

• Watch out for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you’ve been around someone who’s sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested and stay home and away from others.