You’re fully vaccinated. Now what?

You’re well protected, but please stay mindful of others still at risk.

Washington State Department of HealthFollow

Apr 29 · 4 min read

First, congratulations! Thanks for doing your part to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Now that you’re fully vaccinated, you might be wondering how your day-to-day life will change. You may also be wondering about what precautions you should take from now on.

The short of it, is that you can resume some of the activities you had stopped because of the pandemic. However, we all need to keep in mind that others are still at risk. Think of it this way: the vaccine protects you. To protect others, you still need to take precautions. That’s because we don’t know how well the vaccine prevents the spread of COVID-19 from one person to another. It’s also important to remember that while the chances are very low, it is still possible to get COVID-19 after being vaccinated.

What does “fully vaccinated” mean?

You’re considered fully vaccinated two weeks after your final shot. That’s two weeks after your second dose of Pfizer or Moderna, or two weeks after the single-dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Until that two-week mark, you’re considered partially vaccinated. This is because it takes your body time to build up your full immunity, even if you have some protection. It’s very important to continue following guidelines for unvaccinated people until your two weeks have passed.

Once you’re fully vaccinated, you can . . .

  • Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without physical distancing or wearing masks in private settings.

  • Visit indoors with unvaccinated people from one other household without physical distancing or wearing masks, as long as no one is at risk of developing severe COVID-19 illness.

  • Conduct activities outdoors without a mask — except in crowded settings.

  • Travel domestically without a pre- or post-travel test and without quarantining.

  • Skip quarantining and testing following a known exposure if you have no symptoms.

Even if you’re fully vaccinated, you should still . . .

  • Wear a well-fitted mask and physically distance in any public place.

  • Avoid medium or large gatherings.

  • Wear masks, stay six feet (two meters) apart, and keep gatherings outdoors (or indoors with the windows open) when you are visiting with people from multiple households.

  • Wear masks, stay six feet (two meters) apart while visiting with unvaccinated people who are at risk of developing severe COVID-19 illness.

  • Get tested if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

  • Follow guidance issued by your employer, school or place of residence.

  • Follow CDC and health department travel recommendations.

Gathering safely post-vaccine

The moral of the story is this: fully vaccinated people are well-protected from severe COVID-19 symptoms, but unvaccinated people are still at risk. This means that you should plan accordingly if gathering with unvaccinated people. If you’re in a public place, assume that others are not vaccinated yet — and remember how you felt before you got vaccinated.

If you’re planning a gathering and you know someone has a high risk for severe COVID-19 illness — or they live with someone high-risk — the gathering should take place outdoors (or indoors with open windows), with masks and physical distancing.

What about places like restaurants or gyms?

The risk at these places is lower for fully vaccinated people. You should still take the above steps to protect any high-risk or unvaccinated people that may be around you.

If you live in a household where others are not vaccinated, you may want to consider taking point on running errands, and grocery shopping.

Am I safe to travel now?

Everyone should try to delay travel until they’re fully vaccinated. Traveling increases your chances of getting and spreading COVID-19.

Fully vaccinated people can:

  • Travel within the U.S. without a COVID-19 test before or after travel

  • Travel within the U.S. and internationally without quarantining after travel

When traveling, you must continue to wear a mask (also federally required on all transportation!), stay six feet from others, avoid crowds, and wash or sanitize your hands often. And remember to follow the rules of the specific airline, bus, train, or other travel company you’re using.

For more information, please visit our Life After Vaccine page.

More Information

Information in this blog changes rapidly. Sign up to be notified whenever we post new articles.

Check the state’s COVID-19 website for up-to-date and reliable info at coronavirus.wa.gov.

The COVID-19 vaccine is now available to everyone 16 and older. For more information about the vaccine, visit CovidVaccineWA.org and use the vaccine locator tool to find an appointment. The COVID-19 vaccine is provided at no cost to you.

Answers to your questions or concerns about COVID-19 in Washington state may be found at our website. You can also contact the Department of Health call center at 1–800–525–0127 and press # from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday, and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday — Sunday and observed state holidays. Language assistance is available.

CHA Washington