Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CDC OKs Gatherings Of Vaccinated People, Without Masks But With Limits
Stat: CDC: Fully Vaccinated Americans Can Be Together Indoors, Unmasked
People who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 can now spend time together indoors and unmasked, according to new Biden administration guidance. Fully immunized Americans can also visit with low-risk individuals from other households even if they haven’t yet received a vaccine. And if vaccinated individuals are exposed to Covid-19, there’s no need to either quarantine or get tested for the disease, according to new recommendations released Monday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Facher, 3/8)
NPR: CDC Guidelines List Activities Safe For Vaccinated People
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued new guidance for vaccinated people, giving the green light to resume some pre-pandemic activities and relax precautions that have been in place. Specifically, the new guidance says, people who are fully vaccinated can visit indoors with other fully vaccinated people without wearing masks or social distancing. People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after they have gotten the second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines (or two weeks after receiving the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine). (Aubrey and Treisman, 3/8)
NBC News: CDC Releases New Covid Guidelines For Fully Vaccinated People
The new guidelines do not, however, suggest that fully vaccinated people can go back to life as it was in 2019. In public or around others who are vulnerable to Covid-19 complications, mitigation measures should remain in line with the status quo, the CDC said. Keep up with hand-washing. Wear masks in public places, and continue to adhere to physical distancing guidelines. Avoid crowded areas. Seek out Covid-19 testing if symptoms develop. (Edwards, 3/8)
CBS News: Here's What The CDC Says Fully Vaccinated People Can Do
Fully vaccinated people, according to the CDC, can do the following: visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without masks or physical distancing; visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing; and skip quarantine and testing guidelines following a known exposure, if they're asymptomatic. (Bayer, Tin and Watson, 3/8)
ABC News: Fully Vaccinated Individuals Can Socialize Without Masks, Distancing In Some Cases, CDC Says
"If you and a friend or you and a family member are both vaccinated, you can have dinner together," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said, without wearing masks and without distancing. "You can visit your grandparents, if you have been vaccinated and they have been too," she said in a White House briefing. (Ebbs, 3/8)
The Wall Street Journal: CDC Says Fully Vaccinated People Can Gather Privately Without Masks
A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose of the two-shot vaccines made by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE as well as by Moderna Inc., or two weeks after getting the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, according to the CDC. (Abbott, 3/8)
Also —
NBC News: New CDC Guidelines Have Grandparents Turning Family Reunion Dreams Into Action
Little Juliette Berkhemer is a just few months away from finding out the truth about her grandparents — they don't actually live in her mother's cellphone. And for that, Juliette, a 14-month-old toddler from Jersey City, New Jersey, can thank the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which Monday gave grandparents who have already been vaccinated against Covid-19 the green light to be reunited with loved ones they've had to keep away from because of the pandemic. For almost as long as Juliette has been alive, her only contact with her grandma and grandpa in Houston has been in FaceTime chats, said her mother, Becca Hoffman. (Siemaszko, 3/8)
CNN: US Coronavirus: A Safer Future Is Just Months Away. But Americans Shouldn't Give Up On Safety Measures Yet, Former CDC Director Says
A safer future is just a few months away, but it's crucial that Americans keep practicing Covid-19 safety precautions and heeding health officials' advice as the country works to vaccinate more people, one expert told CNN on Monday. "We're not done yet, Covid isn't done with us. The variants are still a risk," Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. "You don't declare victory in the third quarter." (Maxouris, 3/9)
