CDC announces fully vaccinated don’t have to wear masks indoors

Sierra Martin | Managing Editor

As vaccine distribution increases and over half of the state of Texas has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the Center for Disease Control has announced that fully vaccinated individuals no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance indoors. 

Over a year after the COVID-19 pandemic reached the United States, life is beginning to look normal again for people who have received the vaccine.

According to the CDC, fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.

Additionally, fully vaccinated people can refrain from testing following a known exposure unless they are residents or employees of a correctional or detention facility or a homeless shelter.

As of May 13, fully vaccinated people can:

• Resume domestic travel and refrain from testing before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel
• Refrain from testing before leaving the United States for international travel (unless required by the destination) and refrain from self-quarantine after arriving back in the United States
• Refrain from testing following a known exposure, if asymptomatic, with some exceptions for specific settings
• Refrain from quarantine following a known exposure if asymptomatic
• Refrain from routine screening testing if feasible

For now, fully vaccinated people should continue to:

• Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
• Follow CDC and health department travel requirements and recommendations

Things you still need to do for now, if you’ve been fully vaccinated: