The Do’s and Don’ts After Getting Fully Vaccinated

Mississippi is maintaining great momentum in vaccination rates. As of June 2, 1,892,054 total doses have been administered in our state. 1,036,423 (32% of our state's population) Mississippians have received at least one dose and 905,607 (28%) people are fully vaccinated. People are considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19 2 weeks after receiving the second dose of Pfizer and Moderna or 2 weeks after receiving one dose of Johnson & Johnson.

Currently authorized vaccines in the United States are highly effective at protecting vaccinated people against symptomatic and severe COVID-19. Additionally, a growing body of evidence suggests that fully vaccinated people are less likely to have asymptomatic infection or transmit SARS-CoV-2 to others. Experts are still learning how long the vaccine can protect people.

According to the CDC, guidance and recommendations have changed for fully vaccinated individuals. Those who have received a full vaccination for COVID-19 can resume activities as they did prior to the pandemic. Below is a list in accordance with the CDC that highlights what has changed in safety standards if you are fully vaccinated and what safety standards remain the same.

I have been fully vaccinated…

What can I do differently that is considered safe?

You can gather indoors with other fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask.
You may gather indoors with unvaccinated people from one household without masks, unless anyone they live with has an increased risk of developing a severe illness from COVID-19.
You are not required to stay away from others if you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, unless you develop symptoms or you live in a group home, such as student housing or a nursing home.
You can walk, run, hike or bike outdoors alone or with members of your household.
You may attend small outdoor gatherings with fully vaccinated family and friends.
You can attend small outdoor gatherings with a mixture of fully vaccinated and unvaccinated people.
You can dine at outdoor restaurants with friends from multiple households.
You can travel domestically and internationally without quarantining after travel.
You can participate in an indoor, high intensity exercise class.

What safety measures do I need to continue implementing?

You will still need to follow guidance at your workplace and local businesses.
You should continue to wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart in settings where it is required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.
You should still monitor for symptoms of COVID-19, get tested, stay home, and social distance from others if you have symptoms of COVID-19.

Research is still underway to help determine how effective the vaccines are against variants of the virus and how long the full vaccination can protect people from COVID-19. If an individual has not been fully vaccinated, they should continue to take preventative steps by social distancing, wearing a mask, avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces, and monitoring their health daily. These preventive steps are still important to helping stop the spread of COVID-19 even as vaccines are being distributed. The CDC will continue to provide updated recommendations for vaccinated and unvaccinated people once more is known and identified in relation to the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Resources

CDC: Choosing Safer Activities

CDC: COVID-19

COVID Data Tracker

How to Protect Yourself & Others