If you've been lucky enough to get the Covid-19 vaccine or unlucky enough to have contracted the virus, but recovered, you can now enjoy some newfound freedoms from the mask-wearing and quarantine mandates that apply to everyone else.
"You get a few perks, a few 'get out of jail' cards," said Erie County Health Commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein.
Following up on guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Burstein said Tuesday that individuals no longer have to quarantine if they are:
• Fully vaccinated and within 90 days of their last vaccine series dose, or
• Have recovered from a Covid-19 infection within the last 90 days.
This applies if they show no symptoms.
Full vaccination means two weeks have passed since an individual received the second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
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The 90-day limit exists because it's still not fully known how long natural antibody protection or vaccine protection lasts in protecting an individual from a Covid-19 infection.
Individuals who have been fully vaccinated can gather indoors with other vaccinated people without a mask, based on CDC guidance shared by the county. They are also free to gather indoors with unvaccinated people from the same household.Â
"You can actually get together and have a dinner party, or watch the Sabres game together," Burstein said.
The CDC advised that fully vaccinated individuals do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless they show symptoms.
The rules regarding no mask-wearing do not apply to vaccinated individuals gathering with unvaccinated individuals from multiple other households.
As federal guidance from the CDC changes, or state rules change, the county will adjust.
There are still exceptions to the loosened restrictions. For instance, vaccinated individuals are still expected to wear masks if they are gathering with others who are at an increased risk for severe illness, Burstein said.
In other news, County Executive Mark Poloncarz said that nearly 1 out of every 5 Erie County residents – 19.8% – have received at least a single dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, and 9.6% have received a second dose. Since children do not qualify for the vaccine, Poloncarz said that nearly a fourth of Erie County adults have gotten at least one vaccine dose.
As vaccine distribution continues, county hospitalization levels continue to decline and weekly positive test rates have remained lower at 3.5%.Â
The county continues to operate vaccination clinics at Erie Community College's north and south campuses, and opens a third mass vaccination clinic at KeyBank Center on Wednesday. All vaccinations are by appointment only.
The KeyBank vaccination site was originally going to be open only to those ages 65 and older. But with the state loosening its restrictions on who county governments can vaccinate, the KeyBank location will be open to anyone in the state's phase 1B category, which includes all seniors, those with certain health conditions and other essential and public-facing workers.
The county is also setting up one-day pop-up vaccination clinics in the community.
To get an Erie County vaccine appointment, individuals must go to www.erie.gov/vaccinenotice and fill out a form requesting an appointment. The county is also in the process of developing a new online vaccination appointment system and call center to enable residents to make vaccine appointments more easily, but it will not be available before next week.
