I’M FULLY VACCINATED. WHAT CAN I DO?

Now that more of us are vaccinated, it is time to think about what we can do while staying safe. You are fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and two weeks after the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. If you have not completed ALL of these steps, you are NOT fully vaccinated and you should continue taking all precautions. But if you are fully vaccinated or on your way—congratulations*. Here is what you can start to do:

• You can gather indoors with fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart.

• You can gather or conduct activities outdoors without wearing a mask except in certain crowded settings and venues.

• You can gather indoors with unvaccinated people of any age from one other household (for example, visiting with relatives who all live together) without masks or staying 6 feet apart, unless any of those people or anyone they live with has an increased risk for severe illness from Covid-19.

At the same time, even if you are fully vaccinated, you should continue to take precautions in certain situations. In general, you should continue to avoid large indoor gatherings and you should continue to wear a mask whenever you are:

• In indoor public settings.

• Gathering indoors with unvaccinated people (including children) from more than one other household.

• Visiting indoors with an unvaccinated person who is at increased risk of severe illness or death from Covid-19 or who lives with a person at increased risk.

We are beating COVID-19 by staying safe and getting vaccinated. Every day, more of us are seeing in person our grandchildren or having a meal with friends for the first time in over a year. We are getting back to the things and people we love. Let’s continue to encourage all of our friends, family, and co-workers to get vaccinated so we all can get back together while keeping each other safe.

*If you have a condition or are taking medications that weaken your immune system, you may NOT be fully protected even if you are FULLY vaccinated, so talk to your doctor about your need to take full precautions.

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WORDS MATTER: TIPS FOR TALKING ABOUT THE VACCINE

As the country approaches 45% of the population taking at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, our challenge is how to reach the rest who are still making up their mind about the vaccine. How we talk to them matters. Based on polling and focus groups, we are learning what words and phrases are effective. Here’s is a list of effective, alternative words and phrases we can use when discussing the vaccine with those who haven’t made up their minds.

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WHY SHOULD I TAKE THE VACCINE?

Some helpful phrases for answering the question: “Getting vaccinated will help keep you, your family, and your community healthy and safe;” “By getting vaccinated, you can help end the damage to the economy, prevent more illnesses and deaths in America, and eliminate and eradicate COVID-19;” “Vaccines will help bring this pandemic to an end;” “At 95% effectiveness, the vaccine is extraordinarily effective at protecting you from the virus.” Finally, here is an example of how to put these all together: “Imagine the day you can stop wearing a mask, or when you can gather indoors again with friends and family for a celebratory meal. That day is coming…but only if we do what needs to be done today to keep ourselves, our families, our communities, and our country healthy and safe.”

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1199ers ARE UNITED FOR IMMUNITY!

"Because I’m fully vaccinated and I wear a mask, I was able to y down to Maryland recently to see my family for the rst time in over a year. The vaccine is moving me forward and the country forward.”

–Tonia James, EVS,
Oieshi Children’s Hospital,
Buffalo, NY