Fully vaccinated people can now rage indoors together without masks, CDC says

Scream, go nuts and unmask your deepest desires, because the time has come for fully vaccinated folks to be able to hold and attend indoor gatherings with fellow fully vaxxed people without masks. 

That's right — fully vaccinated people (meaning people who have waited two weeks after having received both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or a single-dose vaccine, like Johnson & Johnson's) can now gather indoors together without wearing masks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised Monday.

Fully vaccinated people can also gather indoors with unvaccinated people from one other household without masks, so as long as those in the household are not considered high risk for COVID-19. And if you've been around someone who is COVID-19 positive, you no longer have to keep clear of others or get tested, as long as you have received all recommended doses and have waited two weeks following the final dose. 

The CDC notes that despite being fully vaccinated, people who live in a group setting — like a correctional facility or group home, and have been exposed to others who have contracted COVID-19 — are advised to still quarantine for 14 days and get tested, with or without symptoms. 

But don't get too excited, as the CDC also addresses everything that has not changed for those who have vaccinated. It's still recommended that fully vaxxed people maintain social distancing and mask-wearing in public and at the workplace, and should continue to avoid crowds, poorly ventilated spaces and gathering indoors with unvaccinated people from more than one other household. 

It's also suggested to note any possible COVID-19 symptoms regardless of vaccination status, because as the CDC states, we're still learning how effective these vaccinations are in preventing the spread of the virus and how long vaccines are effective. 

For more information regarding CDC recommendations, see CDC.gov. 

To find out how and where to get inoculated in San Antonio, visit the vaccination page of the city's COVID-19 portal.

And remember — rage responsibly.

This story first appeared in the Detroit Metro Times, an affiliated publication.

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