CDC: Vaccinated people can safely gather indoors without masks

[DonViejo]

BY NATHANIEL WEIXEL - 03/08/21 11:17 AM EST

New guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest it is safe for fully vaccinated people to gather indoors with each other without masks.

"If you and a friend, or you and a family member are both vaccinated, you can have dinner together" without wearing masks or without distancing, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said.

In addition, vaccinated people can visit with someone in a single household who is unvaccinated, without protections.

Walensky said it is an "important first step" and the guidance will change over time.

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https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/542101-cdc-vaccinated-people-can-safely-gather-indoors-without-masks

[underpants]

1. ☀️ Looks like we are THIS close to being in the clear.

Not yet but we are really close.

[jimfields33]

2. My neighbors pretty much was doing that already

I guess they figured as much. Now how are stores to know whose vaccinated or not? I think this is about to get complicated. I know to keep that from the public would have caused a problem had it found out later, but this is going to be interesting going further.

[FlyingPiggy]

5. They wouldn't know. But it is private property so if I was them,

I would still have the mask mandate in order to protect their workers.

[Ms. Toad]

9. Nothing in these guidelines suggests going to stores without masks.

it is about in-home gatherings with frends or family who are vaccinated - or with friends/family from a single family who are not vaccniated, who are not high risk.

[jimfields33]

10. I understand. But you know repugs the few who get the vaccine are even

Going to be bigger jerks.

[Ms. Toad]

11. If they are going to be jerks, they will be jerks.

It won't be related to any grant of inside visits with others who have been vaccinated.

[Initech]

3. Yes!!! This is some very good news! Hooray science!

[HUAJIAO]

4. My understanding of the current science is that 'they'

are unsure just how much protection the 3 current vaccines provide against transmitting the virus.

Given that, how can the CDC say, "vaccinated people can visit with someone in a single household who is unvaccinated, without protections."

[dpibel]

8. The Hill said that, not the CDC

Actual CDC guideline is single household whose members are low risk for severe COVID.

[Ms. Toad]

12. The concrete data we have suggests that the mRNA vaccines prevent transmission.

We just don't have a lot of it.

I have only seen one small small study of a fairly homogeneous group that tested a pretty direct stand-in for transmission. That study suggests it prevents transmission.

The vaccine were all approved on the basis that they prevent symptoms and death. What was counted as a success was the lack of symptoms (confirmed to be COVID by a test) or death. They didn't routinely check all vaccinated people for whehter they were positive on a test (PCR) for the virus. This is a problem if you want to stop transmission - since asymptomatic transmission accounts for the bulk of the transmission.

This small study regularly tested its participants post vaccination and the control group for whether the individuals tested positive (even if they didn't have symptoms). There was a significant reduction in testing positive. That strongly suggests it will prevent (asymptomatic) transmission, because it is preventing not just symptoms but the disease itself.

Obviously more data is needed - but I am unaware of any counter study (which affirmatively suggests it does not prevent transmission). So I'm pretty hopeful on this front.

[HUAJIAO]

13. Thanks for that detailed explanation.

I am also hopeful that they Do prevent, or at least greatly reduce transmission. I read the full CDC 'article' that is linked and w as still unsure...


In any case, I will play it safe....to protect myself AND others...

[Ms. Toad]

14. You and me both.

I'll visit my parents unmasked - 2 weeks after we are all fully vaccinated (April 3). I'll eat outside with my spouse before that, once warm weather opens up outside restaurants.

Aside from that - outside of my home I'll be masking up.

[Hortensis]

6. This will be a big impetus for most still hesitating, and

even a bunch of the angry refusers will get vaccinated so they can join friends and family, care for the new baby, etc. Or be able to go on a cruise, return to their old jobs.

[XanaDUer2]

7. I'll still be masking nt