VA is listening to your questions about the COVID-19 vaccine and this blog series answers your questions. Want to ask a question? Leave your comment below.

I’ve heard that once I’m fully vaccinated I can start doing more things safely. When will that be?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you are fully vaccinated when you have received the most protection from your COVID-19 vaccine.

Those who received two-dose vaccines, like the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, will be fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose. Those who received Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine will be fully vaccinated two weeks after their dose.

When can I travel like I did before the COVID-19 pandemic?

Once you have been fully vaccinated, travel will be more convenient. The CDC explains that those who have been fully vaccinated can travel within the United States without needing to get tested before or after travel and no longer need to self-quarantine after reaching their destinations.

International travel rules may differ depending on the country you intend to visit. If you are planning such a trip, review that country’s COVID-19 travel regulations.

If you travel to another country by airplane, you will still need to provide a negative COVID-19 test result or proof of recovery before you can return. When you return to the United States, however, you will not need to self-quarantine.

Once I’m fully vaccinated, can I safely visit my friends and family?

Once you have been fully vaccinated, you can safely visit other fully vaccinated friends and family without wearing a mask or staying six feet apart. If you plan to visit unvaccinated people, you must be more careful to ensure their safety.

Make sure that every unvaccinated person is from the same household. Also, that no one from that household has an increased risk for illness from COVID-19, even if such a person is not present.

If any unvaccinated person present is from another household or lives with someone who has increased risk, you must wear a mask and stay six feet apart.

Follow good health habits

Keep an eye out for more answers to your COVID-19 and vaccine questions and remember to follow good health habits in the meantime. To keep it simple, follow the three W’s: wear your masks, wash your hands and watch your distance from others!

To learn more, you can review CDC information about COVID-19 and vaccination.

References

When You’ve Been Fully Vaccinated | CDC

Requirement for Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test or Recovery from COVID-19 for All Air Passengers Arriving in the United States | CDC

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7 Comments

  1. ernest toseland June 17, 2021 at 19:02

    I recovered from COVID in Dec. test confirm I have the antibodies. Why should I take the risks of a man made vaccine if I already am immune?

    • David Dean July 4, 2021 at 11:28

      Your body created the antibody to deal with your infection at that time. The antibody will diminish over time. How long will that be has not been determined since everyone is different. However, as with some vaccines, like influenza, they have to be renewed, sometimes frequently. Added to this is the new threat of the Delta variant that has proven to be also covered by the administered vaccine. The effectiveness of the naturally produced antibody against the Delta variant is unknown. Therefore, get fully vaccinated soon.

  2. Phillis A. Wolters June 17, 2021 at 13:54

    I have had both injections of the Pfizer vaccine for the Covid-19. Will this vaccine protect against the Delta variant? Also should I continue to wear a mask in public? A

  3. Larry Nazimek June 17, 2021 at 12:33

    I have been getting chemo therapy for my leukemia/lymphoma. I got my second Phizer shot in March and thought I was fully vaccinated, but when I took a blood test in June to check on whether the anti-bodies developed, I learned that they did not. Should I get another shot of Phizer or get vaccinated with Moderna or the Johnson & Johnson vaccines?

  4. George A Washington June 16, 2021 at 10:49

    Someone needs to look into the disparities at the VA Manila Clinic in the Philippines..I’m service connected and still waiting to get an appointment to be vaccinated..it’s absolutely terrible..spoke to the Patient Advocate and he basically admitted they failed in their duties to Veterans..

  5. Robert Hetrick June 13, 2021 at 15:08

    Then why is the Fuhrer of Dorn VA Hospital not allowing spouses and caregivers from coming in even though all employees are vaccinated and they held a mass veteran and family vaccination? According to the management of Dorn, the level are still high and that infections can spread throughout the hospital even though people are fully vaccinated. When you mention what is put out by CDC, White House and the VA site, they say they don’t want to hear it and don’t want to discuss it.

  6. William Ferris June 10, 2021 at 11:32

    I’m the USDA Beginning Farmer/Rancher (BFR) Coordinator in North Carolina and Champion in other States on the East Coast. Our team works to provide resources and assist BFR’s as they are getting started. If you have any question please contact me

    [Editor: William’s submitted email is william.ferris@usda.gov ]

Comments are closed.

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