CDC updates guidelines for fully vaccinated individuals

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Cara Shirk

COVID-19 PREVENTION: Eligible individuals gathered at Downers Grove South High School to receive the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Amelia Carlson, Editor-in-Chief

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued its first set of guidelines and regarding individuals who have received the full COVID-19 vaccine March 8, which outlines recommendations on how fully vaccinated individuals could interact with others.

The guidance includes visits with other fully vaccinated individuals can occur without masks and social distancing, visiting one other household that isn’t fully vaccinated, and allowing and withholding from quarantining and testing unless they have experienced symptoms of COVID-19.

However, those who are not fully vaccinated should still uphold regular COVID-19 regulations such as following social distancing rules and wearing a mask in vulnerable situations.

“While the new guidance is a positive step, the vast majority of people need to be fully vaccinated before COVID-19 precautions can be lifted broadly,” the press release stated, “until then, it is important that everyone continues to adhere to public health mitigation measures to protect the large number of people who remain unvaccinated.”

The CDC estimates that 9.2% of the U.S population has been fully vaccinated. The guidelines will be updated as 20-30% of the U.S population becomes fully vaccinated.