Masking requirements for Pennsylvanians who are fully vaccinated have been amended.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced the amendment Monday but said the amended order went into effect at 12:01 a.m. March 17 and will remain so until further notice.
The amendments align with guidance from the CDC, according to the Department of Health.
Fully vaccinated individuals are still expected to wear masks in public, but the requirement is lifted in some circumstances.
“The vaccines that are currently available across the state and country are highly effective at protecting vaccinated people against severe and symptomatic COVID-19,” said Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam. “Research has shown that fully vaccinated people are less likely to have asymptomatic infection and potentially less likely to spread the virus that causes COVID-19 to others.
“However, there is still more to learn about how long protection lasts and how much vaccines protect against new variants of the virus, so some prevention measures will continue to be in place for all people, regardless of their vaccination status,” she said.
People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose of a two-dose vaccine or two weeks after receiving a single-dose vaccine.
The Department of Health listed two things that fully vaccinated people can do without wearing masks or socially distancing: visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors and visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors.
Fully vaccinated people must remain “mindful of the potential risk of transmitting the virus to others,” the department stated. This includes using safety precautions around someone who is high risk or who lives with someone who is high risk.
Another perk for fully vaccinated people is they no longer need to undergo quarantine and testing following a known exposure if they are asymptomatic.
However, fully vaccinated people must still wear masks and social distance in public, as well as avoid large gatherings. They must follow travel requirements and any guidance from their employers.
Masking and social distancing requirements for people who are not fully vaccinated remain the same.
Pennsylvania officials also recently announced changes for restaurants and other businesses that will take place April 4.
Starting that date, the restrictions on serving alcohol will be less severe, and the capacity for businesses like bars, restaurants, gyms and entertainment facilities will be increased.
