Fully vaccinated but unsure about doing things again?
CDC guidelines for the fully vaccinated are helpful, but you're still unsure about how quickly to resume activities? Here's a friendly word of advice.
For the last 14 months, my life has consisted mostly of picking up groceries and other supplies curbside, walking my kid to school and on rare occasions visiting with others outside, distanced, with masks.
We’ve been cautious — maybe some would say too cautious, considering that even in our caution, we managed to contract mild cases of COVID-19.
But now — just this week — my husband and I are fully vaccinated, and the fatigue, muscle and joint pain, headaches and loss of taste and smell that have been a part of my life since late December are finally, mercifully beginning to subside.
I want my old life back.
Then again, breaking 14 months of partial isolation has been deceptively difficult — and not just for us. It’s a common refrain among the vaccinated, particularly those who have exercised caution, that they aren’t sure how quickly to re-enter society.
Because the world has changed a lot in 14 months, and even if we don’t like these new routines we follow, the certainty of it all is at least comfortable.
It’s even more complicated for families where the adults are vaccinated but the kids aren’t — and probably won’t be for some months to come. How do we make smart decisions for all involved?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidelines this week for those who are fully vaccinated, spelling out a lot more interactions that are safe to resume two weeks after a second dose of Pfizer or Moderna, or two weeks after the single J&J jab. Fully vaccinated folks can:
● Get together outdoors with a small group of friends, whether they are vaccinated or not, without wearing a mask.
● Dine outdoors at a restaurant with people from multiple households without wearing a mask.
● Attend a crowded outdoor event, such as a concert or parade, while wearing a mask.
● Get your hair cut indoors while wearing a mask.
● Attend a full-capacity, indoor worship service while wearing a mask.
● Dine indoors at a restaurant or bar if you wear a mask when not eating or drinking.
● Participate in an indoor, high-intensity exercise class while wearing a mask.
● Travel domestically without getting a COVID-19 test or self-quarantining before or after return.
And that’s just a partial list.
But the updated guidelines also leave a lot of wiggle room in specific situations. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the head of the CDC, declined to define how big a “small group” of friends might be, saying it depends on the ventilation, the size of the space where the get together is occurring and the distance between people.
Eating indoors at a restaurant also gets complicated for fully vaccinated parents who may have their non-vaccinated children in tow, as the CDC still says that is one of the riskiest activities for those who have yet to get a shot.
Ditto for indoor exercise classes and full-capacity indoor worship services.
Does that mean fully vaccinated parents should stay home with their kids for however many months it takes (particularly for younger kids) before they are eligible to receive a vaccine?
Not necessarily. Travel, restaurant dining and playdates could all be fine with some precautions — but it really comes down to how much risk you think is appropriate for your kids.
The New York Times’ David Leonhardt put it in perspective for me when he noted that kids are twice as likely to drown and five times as likely to die in a car wreck than to die from COVID-19. While this certainly is not the case for adults, the disease for most children seems to carry a similar risk and severity of symptoms as the flu.
That’s not necessarily license to do whatever you want. Leonhardt notes — and I’ve said this a ton of times since the pandemic started — that interactions should be a balance between risk and reward.
So, if your kid isn’t at high risk of serious illness from COVID-19 and really needs time with other kids or would benefit greatly from that trip to the museum, by all means, take them along with you.
You don’t have to throw caution completely to the wind. Maybe encourage outdoor playdates. Go when the museum will be less crowded.
And you know what? If that gives you heartburn, be even more cautious.
The point is — and this is important enough to repeat, whether you have kids or not — that the pandemic has always been about taking actions where the reward outweighs the risk. That might look different, depending on who you are.
And that’s OK.
I wrote this in March 2020, before we fully understood how this virus spreads, and it is true now, as we begin resuming portions of the life we once knew:
“Bad things may happen. But I can make the best decisions based on what I know and reassess as more information becomes available.
“It’s not fair to second-guess past decisions, nor is it OK to second-guess others who, armed with the same information, make different decisions. …
“Just do your best to not needlessly put yourself or others at risk and go to bed each night knowing that is all you can do.”