New Delhi: People who have received both doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines do not need to quarantine if they have been exposed to a person infected with the virus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The changes to the coronavirus quarantine guidelines were made late in the day on Wednesday and reflected on the agency’s web site.
“Fully vaccinated persons who meet criteria will no longer be required to quarantine following an exposure to someone with COVID-19,” according to the updated guidance.
“Fully vaccinated” means that at least two weeks have passed since a person has received the second dose of a two-dose vaccine.
Both of the vaccines currently approved for use in the United States — from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna — require two doses to provide full protection, the CDC said.
As these vaccines were developed with similar processes, some people have received a first dose with one and a second dose with the other. Still, if a person has received two doses of either vaccine they are considered “fully vaccinated,” the agency said.
Since the start of the pandemic last March, the CDC has recommended that people who may have been exposed to a person with COVID-19 quarantine or self isolate for a period of time to avoid potentially spreading the virus to others.
