Dr Fauci says it’s safe for you to hug another vaccinated person

The COVID vaccine is already paving the way for post-pandemic life, and if you haven’t been vaccinated, your turn may be coming soon. Of course, the only thing that worries everyone after being vaccinated is: “Can I start living normally?” Unfortunately, experts currently advise against throwing any caution into the wind until everyone is vaccinated. However, there may be some leeway when it comes to what is safe to do for those who have already received the coronavirus vaccine. In fact, the White House COVID adviser Anthony Fauci, MD, has just given the green light for a new post-vaccination activity. Read on to find out what Fauci says it’s safe to do once you’re vaccinated, and for more essential advice, don’t do it until a month after your COVID vaccine, experts warn.

The pandemic has put many of us six feet away from our loved ones, which has been a challenge, to say the least. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns against actions that promote close contact, such as cuddling, as this can help spread COVID. But there is good news for those who are vaccinated. According to Fauci, it is safe for you to give a hug to another vaccinated person.

“So, for example, if you are vaccinated and a member of your family is vaccinated, someone who has not lived with you, can you actually be with them without a mask? Can I sit down and hug them and things like And the answer is very likely, of course you can, ”Fauci said in a Feb. 18 interview with the MSNBC host. Andrea Mitchell. And to learn more about the future of the pandemic, that’s when the COVID pandemic will be completely over, experts say.

At a Feb. 8 meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Fauci clarified that the CDC has yet to release guidelines on what fully vaccinated people can do with other vaccinated people. in a group setting. However, he said he believed that was “likely to change” and that the CDC would soon issue guidelines on what is safe in these situations. The CDC recently updated the recommendations for those vaccinated: On February 10, the agency updated its guidelines to say that vaccinated people are no longer required to quarantine after being exposed to someone with the disease. of COVID. And for more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter.

Getting the vaccine does not mean that you should date someone who is also vaccinated and take off your mask when you are in a public place. According to Fauci, the things you can do in public after you are vaccinated and the things you can do in a particular “group” of people who have been vaccinated are going to be very different.

“If you are vaccinated, and you are with someone who is vaccinated, the things you can do are much, much more liberal in the sense of withdrawing strict public health measures, than when you are in the community. company, ”Fauci explained. . “You have to separate that from what you can do in a certain vacuum compared to what you can do in society.” And to learn more about mask safety, if you see this on your mask, the FDA says to throw it away immediately.

As Fauci explained earlier in December, about 75% of Americans need to be vaccinated for the country to achieve herd immunity – which would mean the virus is so mild that restrictions can be lifted in public. This will likely take some time, given that only about 5% of Americans have been fully immunized so far, with NPR. This is largely due to the fact that not everyone is eligible to get a COVID vaccine at this time, as states are rolling out staged vaccinations – typically aimed at healthcare workers and nursing home residents. first, followed by those with underlying conditions and those 65 and older. As for the general public, Fauci recently pushed back on his prediction on when they will be eligible. While he had hoped for “open season” vaccinations in April, in a Feb. 16 interview with CNN, Fauci said supply issues could push that estimate back to May or June. And to make sure you stay healthy, the CDC says not to do this within 2 weeks of your COVID vaccine.