Kristen Crossley, MA, Editor

Individuals who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can resume activities they were doing prior to the pandemic, according to updated guidance from the CDC. The agency also advised that fully vaccinated individuals can resume many activities without wearing a mask or social distancing.

The CDC considers individuals in the United States to be fully vaccinated 2 weeks after receiving their second of a 2-dose Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine series, or 2 weeks after receiving a single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

According to the CDC, outdoor activities deemed safest for fully vaccinated people, but less safe for unvaccinated individuals, include:

dining with friends from multiple households

attending crowded events, such as a live performance, parade, or sporting event

Some examples of indoor activities considered safest by the CDC for fully vaccinated individuals that are less safe for unvaccinated peers include:

going to an uncrowded shopping center or museum

attending a small gathering of people from multiple households, whether fully vaccinated or not

attending a full-capacity worship service or singing with a chorus

participating in a high-intensity exercise activity

In the updated guidance released today, the CDC cautioned that masks and social distancing may still be required of fully vaccinated individuals in adherence to federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial laws, rules, and regulations, as well as policies put into place by businesses and workplaces.

The agency is advising that all travelers, regardless of vaccination status, will still need to wear a mask when using public forms of transportation, including planes, buses, and trains. They should also continue to practice social distancing and frequent hand washing or use of hand sanitizer while traveling.3 However, fully vaccinated individuals do not need COVID-19 testing before or after traveling, nor do they need to quarantine upon arrival at a destination in the United States.

Individuals who are fully vaccinated should continue paying close attention to policies and COVID-19 situations at international destinations prior to making the trip. International travelers still need to provide a negative test result for COVID-19 or documentation of recovery from the virus prior to boarding international flights, regardless of vaccination status. The CDC also advises international travelers to obtain testing for COVID-19 within 3 days upon return to the United States, but these fully vaccinated individuals do not need to self-quarantine.

CDC guidance advises individuals who are not fully vaccinated to delay taking trips, if possible, until they are fully vaccinated. Those who do travel are advised to take a viral COVID-19 test 1 to 3 days prior to taking the trip and get tested again 3 to 5 days after returning home, as well as self-quarantining for a full 7 days.

When you’ve been fully vaccinated. CDC. Updated May 13, 2021. Accessed May 13, 2021. 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html

Choosing safer activities. CDC. Updated May 13, 2021. Accessed May 13, 2021. 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/participate-in-activities.html

Domestic travel during COVID-19. CDC. Updated April 27, 2021. Accessed May 13, 2021. 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html

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The agency also advised that fully vaccinated individuals can resume many activities without wearing a mask or social distancing.

CDC: Many Pre-Pandemic Activities Can Resume for Fully Vaccinated Individuals

Pharmacists are again among the most highly trusted people in their occupations, according to a recent Gallup poll.

The poll ranked pharmacists third among professionals in the United States for honesty and ethical standards, with 66% of respondents rating their trustworthiness as “very high” or “high.”

Pharmacists ranked behind nurses (84% rated “very high” or “high”), who held the top spot for the 17th consecutive year, and medical doctors (67%). High school teachers (60%) and police officers (54%) rounded out the top 5 most trusted professionals.

Poll responses were collected in telephone interviews conducted by Gallup from December 3 to 12, 2018, with a random sample of 1025 US adults 18 years and older. Respondents resided in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Landline and cellular telephone numbers were selected using random-digit-dial methods, according to Gallup.

At the bottom of the 2018 ranking for trustworthiness were members of Congress and car salespeople, both of whom earned an 8% rating of “very high” or “high” for honesty and ethical standards. Telemarketers (9%) were third from the bottom.

Many other occupations, including accountants, funeral directors, clergy, journalists, building contractors, bankers, and real estate agents, had more “average” levels of trust from poll respondents.

Pharmacists’ ranking in the 2018 Gallup poll is an improvement over their place in the previous year’s Gallup poll, which placed these professionals fifth among occupations included in the survey. Previously, 62% of respondents rated the honesty and ethical standards of pharmacists as “high” or “very high.”

In 2017, military officers and grade school teachers ranked in the top 5 for trusted professionals in the Gallup poll. However, neither of those occupations was included in the 2018 poll.

Gallup has measured the public’s views of various occupations’ honesty and ethics since 1976. Although the rankings and the list of included occupations change each year, the latest poll’s results revealed that health care workers are consistently rated highly for their trustworthiness.

Brenan M. Nurses again outpace other professions for honesty, ethics. Gallup website. news.gallup.com/poll/245597/nurses-again-outpace-professions-honesty -ethics.aspx. Published December 20, 2018. Accessed February 26, 2019.

Brenan M. Nurses keep healthy lead as most honest, ethical profession. Gallup website.news.gallup.com/poll/224639/nurses-keep-healthy-lead-honest-ethical-profession.aspx. Published December 26, 2017. Accessed February 26, 2019.