Don’t invite COVID to poker night

Lady Luck has been good to you. You’ve played your cards right—you were careful, you got your shot, and you can sense victory. You’ve been dealt a great hand, and you’ve got your eyes on the prize. Who needs a mask when you’ve had a vaccine? You do. Even after your final vaccine, you should continue to wear a mask. Otherwise, you’re playing a high-stakes game with other people’s lives. Continue to Follow the Four, and we all win.

Tips for after you’ve been vaccinated

Vaccines currently approved in the U.S. take two weeks to be effective, and only after the last shot are you fully vaccinated when receiving the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. For the single-dose Johnson & Johnson Vaccine, it’s effective two weeks after the first and only shot. Vaccination reduces the risk of becoming severely sick if you contract COVID-19, but it may not prevent you from spreading it to others.

Not until two weeks after your final vaccine should you:

• Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing.
• Visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without masks or physical distancing.

You should still take steps to protect yourself and others in other situations: wear a mask, wash your hands, stay at least 6 feet apart from others and avoid crowds. Get tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms and follow the latest CDC and local health department guidelines before traveling outside the local area.

For more information and tips, visit:

Lane Transit District
Lane County Public Health
Oregon Health Authority
Centers for Disease Control