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What can I safely do once I receive COVID-19 vaccine?

Experts still advise wearing masks in public
Posted at 2:33 PM, Mar 17, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-17 17:42:14-04

BOCA RATON, Fla. — With more of the population being eligible for vaccinations, many people still have questions about what fully vaccinated people can safely do.

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Andrea Wexler is about to get her second COVID-19 vaccine.

She said she is excited to start doing more actives with the vaccine protection

"I am definitely still going to be cautious," Wexler said. "It feels like we haven't had normal in a very long time."

Dr. Joanna Drowos of Florida Atlantic University said the Centers for Disease Control recently issued new guidelines for people who are fully vaccinated.

Two weeks after full vaccination, the CDC says people can start doing some things that they had stopped during pandemic.

The CDC says if you and a small group are vaccinated, getting together inside is now OK without masks. Some families or groups could even get together with unvaccinated people if there is no one who is considered high risk.

Florida Atlantic University doctor explains some of the dos and don'ts once you receive COVID-19 vaccine

"It comes down to what the risk is for those individuals involved," Drowos said.

She continues to recommend small gatherings, but in-person meetings can now be safer.

"Have your friends over for dinner. ... That is huge after being so isolated," Drowos said.

She also says a COVID-19 test and quarantine are necessary if a vaccinated person shows coronavirus symptoms.

A mask would still be required in public spaces, but Drowos said that is because the medical community is still learning how COVID-19 and the vaccine protect everyone.

"The science is still evolving, so until we are really sure about what all of that means, it will take longer," Drowos said.

She expects new guidance to be issued by the CDC as more people become vaccinated.

Reaching this point in the pandemic is a big win, she says.