The Case for Social Distancing Protocols After You’re Vaccinated

As the COVID-19 vaccines continue to roll out around the world, there’s a lot to learn. Among other things, experts continue to make the case for social distancing protocols even after you’re vaccinated. This may seem counterintuitive, but there are important reasons to listen to their recommendations. Traditional public health safety protocols will continue to be important day to day.

You’ve gotten your second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine… now what?

Congratulations! It may be tempting to throw caution to the wind after a year of living carefully, but the time is still not right. Based on the guidance of the CDC, you should continue following all COVID-19 safety protocols. Yes, that means even after you’ve been vaccinated, at least for a while longer. 

Why is this important?

The vaccine roll out is making significant progress in many places. However, we have not yet achieved a level that provides herd immunity. Therefore, the unvaccinated portions of the population are still vulnerable. Additionally, while the vaccines do protect the recipient from more severe cases of COVID-19, they may not fully prevent the vaccine recipient from passing the virus along. In other words, while the vaccine protects you, it may not make you less of a risk to unvaccinated or immunocompromised people. 

What should I do?

The good news is, it’s simple to stay responsible!

• Continue wearing a mask when you’re in public or around people who are not in your COVID pod.
• Maintain six feet of social distance whenever possible.
• Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly.
• Continue to avoid large gatherings, particularly indoors. 

These basic protocols have served us well over the past year, and they will continue to do so as we navigate the next several months. As you can see, the continued observation of social distancing and other public health protocols will help you keep your community safe!