Last week, the CDC revised their guidance on quarantining after exposure for staff members who have completed vaccination. The new guidance indicates that vaccinated persons with an exposure are not required to quarantine if they meet all of the following criteria:
- Are fully vaccinated (i.e. more than two weeks following receipt of the second dose in a two-dose series, or more than two weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine)
- Are within three months following receipt of the last dose in the series
- Have remained asymptomatic since the current COVID-19 exposure
This guidance applies to healthcare workers only and does not apply to residents of long term care facilities due to the increased risks for severe disease and death and the unknown effectiveness of the vaccine in this population. The CDC recommends that residents continue to quarantine following exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, and only suggest lifting this requirement to mitigate critical issues (such as limited bed capacity).
The CDC recommends that vaccinated individuals continue to follow all other guidance to prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as mask wearing, social distancing and hand-washing because the risk of transmission from vaccinated individuals to others is still uncertain. Read more on staying vigilant after vaccinations here.