This means that even though Christmas 2020 and the New Year were lonely affairs, Easter doesn't need to be so.
The pandemic kept many families and friends from meeting each other, but now that more and more are getting the vaccine, there is hope. People can now celebrate holidays together again, but there are some conditions. This means that even though Christmas 2020 and the New Year were lonely affairs, Easter doesn't need to be so.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidelines on March 8 for those who are fully vaccinated. This will also be a welcome one for grandparents, who haven't been able to see their children and grandchildren for almost a year. The agency said that vaccinated people can visit others indoors, even if the others are unvaccinated, from a single household. However, unvaccinated people shouldn't be in high-risk categories.
UPDATE: If you are fully vaccinated against #COVID19, you can start doing some things again, like gathering indoors with other fully vaccinated people without wearing masks. To learn more, visit: https://t.co/FJMon7WlFO. pic.twitter.com/hYkm1HTix0
— CDC (@CDCgov) March 10, 2021
This means that grandparents who are fully vaccinated can visit healthy adult children and their healthy grandchildren in the same household. They won't have to wear masks or maintain physical distance. However, the other condition was that the visit should be local as the CDC doesn't recommend travel for any American, vaccinated or not, according to The New York Times.
“We know that people want to get vaccinated so they can get back to doing the things they enjoy with the people they love,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky said in a statement. "There are some activities that fully vaccinated people can begin to resume now in their own homes. Everyone – even those who are vaccinated – should continue with all mitigation strategies when in public settings. As the science evolves and more people get vaccinated, we will continue to provide more guidance to help fully vaccinated people safely resume more activities."
Those who are vaccinated can "refrain from quarantine and testing if they do not have symptoms of COVID-19 after contact with someone who has COVID-19," the agency said.
It also qualified who is considered "fully vaccinated." Only after two weeks after receiving the last required dose of vaccine will a person be considered fully vaccinated. "Although vaccinations are accelerating, CDC estimates that just 9.2% of the U.S. population has been fully vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine that the FDA has authorized for emergency use," the statement added.
The number of cases and deaths have gone down in many states and so, they are also trying to reopen businesses as soon as they can. However, the CDC is still recommending that people maintain social distance in public, whether someone is vaccinated or not.
Wyoming’s governor said on March 8 he would lift the mask mandate, something the governors of Texas and Mississippi have already done, according to NY Times. Even with states rushing to restart businesses, maintaining social distance and wearing masks makes sense since COVID-19 has been the deadliest year for the U.S. in its history, reported Politico.
A new CDC study found that there was a 15% increase in deaths in the country in 2020. COVID-19 became the third significant cause of death after heart disease and cancer, the report found. "Unintentional injuries" is usually the third-leading cause of death, officials said.
References:
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/p0308-vaccinated-guidelines.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/08/health/covid-vaccine-cdc-guidelines.html
Cover image source: Getty Images | Photo by 10'000 Hours (Representational Image)
Disclaimer : This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
