Do's and Don'ts after being fully vaccinated against COVID-19

There's a misconception that no precautions are needed after being fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This, of course, isn't true.

While COVID-19 vaccines do offer protection against the disease, it doesn't make you 100 percent invulnerable against it.

So, even if you get fully vaccinated, safety precautions should still be taken to protect yourself and others.

The good news is there are some things that you are now free to do.

The Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC) has just released guidelines on what fully vaccinated people should and shouldn't do.

So, read on to find out what activities you can now resume and how you can continue keeping yourself and others protected from COVID-19.

First of all, it's important to establish who is fully vaccinated or not.

According to the CDC, you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 during the following:

*Two weeks after the second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
*Two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson's Janssen vaccine

In short, a person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after completing the required doses: one dose for some vaccines and two doses for most vaccines.

Meaning, if you still have one more dose to get or it's not yet two weeks since your last dose, then you are NOT fully vaccinated.

It's also important to take note that those taking certain medications that weaken the immune system may not be fully protected even if they get fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Therefore, they are still advised to continue taking all necessary precautions.

Below are lists of things that fully vaccinated people can now do and should continue doing.

What You Can Start to Do:

Indoors

• Gather indoors with fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask or staying six feet apart.
• Gather indoors with unvaccinated people of any age from one other household (for example, visiting with relatives who all live together) without masks or staying six feet apart, unless any of them or the people they live with has an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
• Gather or conduct activities outdoors without wearing a mask except in certain crowded settings and venues.

Outdoors

• Walking, running, hiking, or biking alone or with members of your household
• Attending small outdoor gatherings with fully vaccinated loved ones
• Attending a small outdoor gathering with both vaccinated and unvaccinated people
• Dining outdoors with friends from different households
• Attend crowded outdoor events like a concert or parade with face mask on

What You Should Keep Doing:

• Wear a face mask with snug fit in indoor public settings, indoor gathering with unvaccinated people (including children) from more than one household, and when visiting indoors with unvaccinated person who have higher risk of contracting
• Avoid large indoor gatherings
• Wear a face mask when traveling on planes, buses. trains, and other public transportation
• Continue monitoring yourself for any symptoms of COVID-19

The bottom line is, fully vaccinated people still need to take precautions against COVID-19.

The vaccines serves as a great defense against COVID-19, but it's still best to not rely on it fully and to continue adhering to safety protocols.

So, if there's anything you shouldn't do after getting fully vaccinated against COVID-19, it would be to let your guard down.

For more lifestyle content, head out to GMA's Lifestyle page.

You might also want to read about COVID-19 myths and facts in the gallery below.

Or check out these must-haves that'll help you stay protected against COVID-19.