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10 Things the Fully Vaccinated Need to Know

Here s what you should and shouldn t do post-vaccination according to health experts

Getty Images If it has been at least two weeks since you received your , congratulations! You are now considered “fully vaccinated.” You are armed with our best weapon against a virus that has killed more than 3.3 million people worldwide and upended our lives in unimaginable ways. That is truly something worth celebrating. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. But before you throw caution to the wind (or throw a party), it’s important to remember that the coronavirus is still spreading and the majority of Americans have yet to be vaccinated — so some precautions continue to be necessary to protect yourself and the people around you. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published specific guidance about what the fully vaccinated can do and cannot do, and AARP has asked experts to answer other common questions about life after vaccination. Here are 10 things you should know now that you’ve been jabbed.

1 You still need a mask — but only in some situations

People who are fully vaccinated no longer need to wear a mask in most indoor and outdoor settings, large or small, the CDC announced on May 13. “We have all longed for this moment, when we can get back to some sense of normalcy,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a news briefing, pointing to the effectiveness of the vaccines against the virus and the variants and the steady decline in COVID-19 cases in the U.S. Masks will still be required on planes, buses, trains and other forms of public transportation, as well as in transportation hubs like airports and train stations. Walensky also noted that health care facilities “will continue to follow their specific infection-control recommendations” — plus businesses and workplaces can set their own guidance. “If things get worse, there is always a chance we may need to make a change to these recommendations, but we know that the more people are vaccinated, the less cases we will have, and the less chance of a new spike or additional variants emerging,” Walensky said. Immunocompromised individuals should talk to their health care provider before ditching their masks. “They may need to keep taking all precautions to prevent COVID-19,” the CDC says.

2 You could still catch COVID-19

Although all three vaccines authorized for emergency use in the U.S. have proved to be highly effective against severe disease and death from COVID-19, there’s still a chance you could get infected with the virus — also known as a . No vaccine prevents illness 100 percent of the time, according to the CDC. However, real-world studies show the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are 94 percent effective against hospitalization from COVID-19 among fully vaccinated adults. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was 66.1 percent effective in multi-country clinical trials and 72 percent effective in U.S. trials. “The whole point of a vaccine is that it prevents you from dying or ending up in the hospital,” says Purvi Parikh, M.D., an allergist and immunologist at NYU Langone Health and an investigator in COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials. “But you may still get sick.” AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. . Still, research is ongoing. Entertainment $3 off popcorn and soft drink combos See more Entertainment offers >

4 You can visit friends and family

After a year-plus of keeping a distance from friends and family, fully vaccinated people can gather indoors or outdoors with others, without wearing masks or physical distancing, the CDC says. That means you can visit (and hug!) your unvaccinated children and grandchildren. What’s important is to keep unvaccinated households from mingling, since “prevention measures are still recommended for unvaccinated people,” the CDC says.

5 You don t have to quarantine after exposure

You do not have to quarantine or get tested after an exposure to someone with the coronavirus, as long as you aren’t experiencing any symptoms, the CDC says. If you develop a cough, fever, shortness of breath, diarrhea or other symptoms of COVID-19, however, you should get tested.

6 You should keep your vaccine record card handy

In the future, you may need proof of vaccination to travel, work in certain industries or attend large events, Parikh says. Several other countries already have a validation system in the works, and a number of private companies in the U.S. are working on creating a digital passport that would include your vaccination status. “Obviously, your is your main proof right now,” Parikh adds. Your card may also come in handy to confirm which vaccine you received, and when you received it, if a booster dose is required. If you didn’t hang on to your card, the provider that administered your vaccine should have an electronic or paper record of it.

7 Pack your bags you can travel

Because people who are fully vaccinated are less likely to get and spread COVID-19, they can now travel “at low risk to themselves” in the U.S., the CDC says. Fully vaccinated travelers do not need a coronavirus test before or after domestic travel, unless required by their destination. They also don’t need to self-quarantine after a trip. When it comes to international travel, fully vaccinated individuals do not need to get tested before leaving the U.S., unless required by their destination. However, a negative test is required before returning to the States. What’s more, fully vaccinated travelers do not need to self-quarantine following international travel. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. — when enough Americans are vaccinated to significantly slow the spread of the virus. Estimates of when we will reach that point range from this summer to early 2022. “I’m very optimistic about summertime, when rates will naturally reduce and the number of people we’ve been able to vaccinate will make it so that the virus is not being transmitted as quickly,” Marks said. “The wild card is the variants.” Factors that will affect that timeline include the percentage of Americans willing to get the vaccine, how quickly a vaccine for children of all ages is authorized and how well the vaccines work against more contagious variants. AARP’s Rachel Nania contributed reporting. Michelle Crouch is a contributing writer who has covered health and personal finance for some of the nation's top consumer publications. Her work has appeared in , , , and . More on health AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS