Recently, new guidance rules were released by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Now, fully vaccinated people can finally gather in small groups indoors without socially distancing themselves or wearing masks.

Unsplash | Who wouldn’t want to have their pre-virus freedom again?

Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?

You won’t have to spend another summer indoors, wishing you could be at the beach or pool party!

What does being “fully” vaccinated mean?

This is dependent upon the vaccine you get. However, by the CDC’s standards, you generally achieve the "fully" status vaccinated when you've met the following criteria:

• Two weeks after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
• Two weeks after receiving the second shot of Moderna, Pfizer, or any other two-shot vaccines.

Regardless of standard timing, if you’ve taken the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and want to be extra safe, wait for four weeks. The reason you should double the waiting period lies in its vaccine trials. While an immune response was triggered in 15 days during the trials, this response and antibodies growth increased to 90% in all tested age groups.

How long do antibodies take to develop after the vaccine?

After receiving the vaccine, antibodies against the novel virus start developing in the body almost immediately. These antibodies multiply over time. As mentioned previously, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine achieves 90% antibody development in 29 days, which increases to 100% by day 57.

Additionally, for two-shot vaccines like Moderna and Pfizer, a secondary “booster” shot is given to speed up antibody development.

Unsplash | The second shot is critical for the vaccine to perform effectively.

Why is it important to be “fully” vaccinated? 

Until your vaccination reaches its full state, you will not be immune to the virus. You won't receive the maximum amount of protection until antibodies mature thoroughly within the body.

After you’ve completed the waiting period, according to the CDC, the following activities will be made possible:

• avoiding testing and quarantine following an episode of exposure to the virus
• having indoor gatherings with other fully vaccinated individuals without social distancing or masks
• having indoor gatherings with low-risk individuals without social distancing or masks

Unsplash | We all miss hanging with friends and family on weekends

Bottom Line

We understand how hard it can be to remain patient after receiving the vaccine. After all, for almost a year, people confined to their homes in fear of an unknown threat. To most, it seemed as though the year 2020 didn't even exist. But, if you care for your safety and that of your loved ones, you have to wait this short period out. After that, you can enjoy your freedom from the virus and return to normal(ish) life.