Submitted by the Washington State Department of Health

The Washington State Department of Health is adopting the guidance released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding post-vaccine behavior.

If someone has been fully vaccinated, they can:

Gather indoors with fully vaccinated people in private residences without wearing a mask and,

Gather indoors with unvaccinated people from one other household in private residences (for example, visiting with relatives who all live together) without masks, unless any of those people or anyone they live with has an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

The CDC is quite clear that vaccinated people should continue to wear masks when they’re in public, avoid crowds and take other precautions when gathering with unvaccinated people who are at high risk of serious illness from COVID-19.

If a vaccinated person has been around someone with COVID-19, they do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless they have symptoms. However, if a vaccinated person lives in a group setting (like a correctional or detention facility or group home) and is around someone who has COVID-19, they should still stay away from others for 14 days and get tested, even if without symptoms.

Regardless of vaccination status, people should still take steps to protect themselves and others while in public settings. This includes wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces. In addition, people should still avoid medium or large-sized gatherings and continue to watch for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if they’ve been around someone who is sick.

To assess eligibility to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, please visit the recently updated DOH Phase Finder tool, at https://form.findyourphasewa.org/210118771253954. View a list of vaccine locations at https://www.doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/Immunization/VaccineLocations.