Pa. eases face mask order for people fully vaccinated against COVID-19

Pennsylvania’s health secretary said Monday that people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no longer have to wear a face mask in certain indoor situations, but still should wear one in public.

It marks a revision of Pennsylvania’s mask-wearing order issued Nov. 17 and is based on revised guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the revised CDC guidelines, people who are fully vaccinated can resume:

Visiting with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low-risk of COVID-19 complications without wearing masks or having to social distance.","type":"text

Also, people who are fully vaccinated no longer have to quarantine or get tested if they are exposed to someone with COVID-19 as long as they have no symptoms.","type":"text

Acting Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Alison Beam said people who are fully vaccinated are “potentially” less likely to spread COVID-19, but more research is needed on how long their protection lasts and how well vaccine protects against variant strains. Therefore, “some prevention measures will continue to be in place for all people, regardless of their vaccination status,” Beam said.

Acting Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Alison Beam said people who are fully vaccinated are “potentially” less likely to spread COVID-19, but more research is needed on how long their protection lasts and how well vaccine protects against variant strains. Therefore, “some prevention measures will continue to be in place for all people, regardless of their vaccination status,” Beam said.

Beam said fully vaccinated people should continue to wear face masks in public and use social distancing, avoid medium-sized and large gatherings and get tested if they feel symptoms.

It takes two doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to be fully vaccinated, and one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

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