Public Health Update
Distributed by the New Jersey Department of Health
On March 8, 2021, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention issued interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People. This guidance may change or be updated as the situation evolves. New Jersey Department of Health has posted guidelines for vaccinated people in non-healthcare settings as they apply to visitation, travel, quarantine if identified as a close contact, and gatherings. Click HERE to access the guidelines.
Currently authorized vaccines in the United States are highly effective at protecting vaccinated people against symptomatic and severe COVID-19. Evidence also suggests that fully vaccinated people are less likely to have asymptomatic infection and potentially less likely to transmit SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) to others. However, we are not in a position at this time to broadly exempt fully vaccinated individuals from existing COVID-19 mitigation efforts, including requirements for indoor and outdoor gatherings outlined in current Executive Orders. This is because we are still learning how long vaccine protection will last as well as how much protection is provided against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. In addition, since most of New Jersey is not yet fully vaccinated, the chance that someone who is fully vaccinated could inadvertently spread an infection is relatively high. Until more is learned about protection, and vaccination coverage in the state increases, some prevention measures will continue to be necessary for all people, regardless of vaccination status. As with any level of risk, low/minimal risk does not mean no risk exists.
###