CDC Eases Restrictions for Vaccinated Individuals

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently updated guidance for people who are vaccinated in non-healthcare settings.  People are considered fully vaccinated as of two weeks of receiving either the second dose of a two-dose vaccine (e.g., Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) or the only dose of a single-dose vaccine (e.g., Johnson and Johnson).

Fully vaccinated people may now have less restrictions in the workplace. The following are some key takeaways. Vaccinated employees may:

• Participate in indoor and outdoor activities without a mask or social distancing, except where otherwise required by law.
• Resume domestic travel without testing before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel.
• Travel internationally without self-quarantine after arriving back in the United States (testing before return travel is still required, and testing again upon return from travel is recommended).
• Continue working without testing or quarantine following a known exposure, if asymptomatic, with limited exception.

Nonetheless, vaccinated people must continue to take precautions such as getting tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and following employer guidance. Employers should keep in mind that some states and localities may still have restrictions for vaccinated people that should continue to be followed regardless of the CDC changes.

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