New Masking and Vaccination Updates from the CDC and City of Chicago
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have just released new announcements pertaining to vaccinations and revised masking guidelines. The City of Chicago is also planning new vaccination initiatives. Furthermore, the CDC and U.S. Food and Drug Administration jointly lifted their recommended pause on the Johnson & Johnson vaccination after a thorough safety review.
The CDC just announced new guidelines for vaccinated adults. A new CDC assessment found that adults 65 years and older who were fully vaccinated with both mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) were 94% less likely to be hospitalized from COVID-19 compared to their non vaccinated counterparts. The CDC says that fully vaccinated people do not need to wear a face mask at small outdoor gatherings or while dining outdoors with people from other households.
According to the CDC, “fully vaccinated” is defined as people who are two weeks post their second dose in the two-dose series of vaccinations (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) or two weeks post their single-dose vaccination (Johnson and Johnson (J&J)/Janssen). Unvaccinated people are still encouraged to wear facial coverings at gatherings like the ones listed above.
Fully vaccinated people are now able to travel internationally and domestically without the need to quarantine after trips. They can also visit other fully vaccinated people indoors without needing to wear masks or social distance. Fully vaccinated people can also see unvaccinated adults and children from a single household indoors without masks or social distancing if the unvaccinated individuals are at low risk for severe COVID-19. However, those who are fully vaccinated are encouraged to continue their masking in crowded outdoor events, like packed stadiums and concerts, where social distancing can be difficult. CDC still urges all people to avoid large indoor gatherings. For a complete list of what the CDC recommends for fully vaccinated individuals, click here.
Chicago public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady announced the possibility of a “Vax Pass” or “vaccine passport” soon in Chicago. Vaccinated individuals with a “Vax Pass” would be granted exclusive access to summer events and deals in Chicago. For example, exclusive entry to summer concerts, driver facilities, and deals at barbershops and salons. The City of Chicago waited to introduce the vaccine passport idea until the city could adequately supply the demand for vaccinations. Now, anyone over the age of 16 can sign up for a vaccination appointment. According to Arwady, the “Vax Pass” aims to incentivize more people, especially younger individuals, to get vaccinated.
The United Center will stop providing walk-in Pfizer vaccinations this week and switch to Johnson & Johnson now that the recommended pause on J&J has been lifted. Starting May 4 through May 10, the United Center will only provide the J&J vaccine for walk-in appointments. On May 8, the United Center will begin offering drive-through J&J vaccinations that will likely continue into June. The city also plans to reinstate vaccination busses along CTA routes.
As always, all of us at Strellis and Field wish you and your loved ones health and safety during these unprecedented times. If you are interested in any of our other Strellis and Field blog posts, you can check them out here.
