Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said that people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 do not need to wear masks or practice social distancing indoors or outdoors, except under certain circumstances, CNN.com reported.
Calling it an "exciting and powerful moment," Walensky said the science supports the updated CDC guidance that "anyone who is fully vaccinated can participate in indoor and outdoor activitieslarge or smallwithout wearing a mask or physical distancing."
Walensky's announcement has a few caveats. For example, she warned that people who are immunocompromised should speak with their doctors before giving up their masks.
Also, the requirement to wear masks during travelon buses, trains, planes and public transportationstill stands, Walensky said. Guidance for travel will be updated as science emerges.
Per the CDC website, if fully vaccinated individuals travel in the United States, they do not need to get tested before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel.
People who develop COVID-19 symptoms, even those who are vaccinated, should put their masks back on and get tested.
According to the CDC website, people are considered fully vaccinated:
two weeks after their 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.