To some extent, this feels obvious, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released updated guidance for people who've been fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus or COVID-19.
The CDC says people who've been vaccinated can gather together without any special precautions, of course, but they also say those who've been vaccinated can gather with un-vaccinated people who are at low-risk.
But with that said, the CDC also recommends that everyone continue to wear a mask in public.
The recommendations also say that vaccinated people can come together in the same way — in a single household — with people considered at low-risk for severe disease, such as in the case of vaccinated grandparents visiting healthy children and grandchildren. [...]
The CDC is continuing to recommend that fully vaccinated people still wear well-fitted masks, avoid large gatherings, and physically distance themselves from others when out in public. The CDC also advised vaccinated people to get tested if they develop symptoms that could be related to COVID-19.
Officials say a person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last required dose of vaccine.
Here in Ohio, the governor is expected to lift all public health mandates including the mask mandate once new infections fall to 50 per 100,000 residents.
I'm not sure if I will personally feel safe dropping my mask even once we reach that point, but that time is certainly drawing closer. I started wearing a mask in public even before it was required and will likely wear one after it's no longer required.
I'm in the best physical shape of my entire life and I would likely survive infection, but I've also fought too hard to get where I am now to take that chance. There's no point in getting infected now after I've already made it this long, right?
I imagine it is very welcome news to elderly readers that they can see their children and grandchildren again.