The C.D.C. says vaccinated people can gather inside without precautions.

By Jonathan Wolfe and Amelia Nierenberg

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A baby step to normalcy

The United States inched toward post-Covid life today, as the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued long-awaited guidance to Americans who have been fully vaccinated. Notably, the guidelines allow vaccinated people to engage in new activities, including gathering indoors in small groups without precautions.

Vaccinated people may also gather in a private residence with unvaccinated people from a single household, without masks or social distancing, as long as none of the unvaccinated people are at high risk for developing severe disease.

That would allow, for example, inoculated grandparents to visit unvaccinated children and grandchildren without masks or distancing. But the visit should include only one household, so if unvaccinated neighbors or friends drop by, everyone should move outside, wear masks and practice social distancing.

“We know that people want to get vaccinated so they can get back to doing the things they enjoy with the people they love,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the C.D.C. “There are some activities that fully vaccinated people can begin to resume now in the privacy of their own homes.”

The agency’s new guidance is not legally binding but is frequently mirrored by state public health officials.

The C.D.C. also said that inoculated people no longer needed to quarantine or get tested if they are exposed to the virus, as long as they don’t show symptoms.

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