Emmi Explains: What can you do after getting vaccinated?

New guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can safely visit with other vaccinated people. Yahoo News Producer Emmi Vélez explains.

Video transcript

EMMI VÉLEZ: Let's talk shots. Every day, two million Americans are getting their COVID vaccine, or at least the first of two shots, depending on which version they get. And that's great news. Really, just let that sink in for a moment. Now there's this question, once you're vaccinated, what are you allowed to do? Well, the CDC has finally answered that question with a new set of guidelines. And here's what you need to know.

So first of all, the CDC says you are not fully vaccinated until two weeks after your final shot. Until you reach that point, just keep doing everything the same. But after that, things really do open up quite a bit. Vaccinated people are now able to visit single family households without masks or social distancing, as long as all of the unvaccinated members of that household aren't at high risk for exposure.

And that is really, really great news for millions of grandparents who can now go and see their children and grandchildren, but only if they live close by. Long distance travel is still discouraged. You're also now able to socialize indoors with other fully vaccinated people without masks. Socialize without masks. Even indoors. Plus, if vaccinated people are exposed to COVID, they no longer are encouraged to quarantine, unless they start to show symptoms.

And that's kind of it for now. As more Americans get past that two-week vaccination period, the guidelines are expected to be updated even further. In the meantime, the CDC says masks should still be worn in public. And social distancing is encouraged in places like the grocery store or anywhere else where vaccinated people could come into contact with people who are still at risk. Oh, and you should keep washing your hands. I mean, because you should just do that anyway, even when there's not a pandemic. I mean, come on.