Terry Richards COVID Vaccine and CDC Guidelines Update 3/9/21

Hi everyone!

It was announced yesterday by the CDC that people who are fully vaccinated can gather together indoors without wearing masks. I want everyone to proceed with caution on this announcement. This should be for very small gatherings of people you truly know have been fully vaccinated, such as family, and you are in a well ventilated building. 

  First, you need to know for sure EVERYONE is fully vaccinated. That means it has been two weeks since their second shot for Pfizer and Moderna or two weeks since their Johnson and Johnson shot.

Second, this does not supersede current orders or guidelines in place for a venue, restaurant, state, locality, etc. With that said, if you are in a public place wear a mask and stay six feet apart. You should still avoid medium or large sized gatherings and still delay domestic and international travel.

Third, you should still watch out for symptoms of COVID, especially if you have been around someone who is sick. If you have symptoms you should still get tested and stay home and away from others.

Fourth, staff and residents still need to follow mask guidance for all of our VOA facilities. With that said, I do not want us to take any steps that may increase our positive numbers. All of our staff have not been vaccinated and in our residential programs many of our clients have not been vaccinated either. We must continue to wear masks in all of our facilities as currently instructed. When the time is right for us to ease up on this we will provide more information.

Finally, the guidelines state if you have been around someone with COVID you do not need to quarantine or get tested unless you have symptoms. There is an exception for those living in group settings such as our residential programs. Those residents should still stay away from others for 14 days and get tested even if they don’t have symptoms.

The link to the CDC website with full details

If anyone has specific questions please let me know. In the meantime, please continue to wear your mask when working, stay 6 feet apart and keep washing your hands often.

Staying safe and healthy is our goal. Thanks to everyone for doing your part!

Terry Richards, LMHC, CRC | Director of Operations Support
Volunteers of America Mid-States