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- The criteria include receiving both doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
- At least two weeks needs to pass since the second dose.
- The vaccinated person must be within 3 months of the last dose in the immunization series and should not be experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms.
People who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 do not need to quarantine if they have been exposed to someone who is infected with the virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says.
“Vaccinated persons with an exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not required to quarantine if they meet all of the following criteria,” the CDC said in updated guidance Wednesday.
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The mentioned criteria requires that the person must have received both doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine with at least two weeks having passed since the second shot. That’s because that’s the amount of time it takes to build full immunity.
The vaccinated person must be within three months of the last dose in the immunization series and is not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms. Those who received their last shot three months ago or longer should still quarantine as it is not clear how long protection lasts.
The CDC says if a fully vaccinated person meets all the requirements and does not quarantine, they should still closely watch for symptoms for two weeks after exposure. If they experience symptoms, they should quarantine.
“These quarantine recommendations for vaccinated persons, including the criteria for timing since receipt of the last dose in the vaccination series, will be updated when more data become available and additional COVID-19 vaccines are authorized,” the CDC said.
Vaccinated individuals should continue to practice public health guidance to slow the spread of the virus, including mask wearing, staying at least 6 feet away from others, avoiding crowds and washing their hands often.
Meanwhile, the CDC says vaccinated inpatients and residents in health care facilities should continue to quarantine after exposure to someone with a suspected or confirmed case of the disease.
“Outpatients should be cared for using appropriate Transmission-Based Precautions. This exception is due to the unknown vaccine effectiveness in this population, the higher risk of severe disease and death, and challenges with social distancing in healthcare settings,” the CDC said.
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