Social distance rules and mask requirements could be relaxed for those getting vaccinated, European Union’s agency for disease prevention said, adding to signs that an accelerated rollout of coronavirus shots could pave the way for a gradual return to normalcy .
When fully vaccinated individuals meet other fully vaccinated individuals, physical distance and wearing of face masks can be eased, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control said in a series of reports. guidelines published Wednesday. The rules can be relaxed even when vaccinated meet people who have yet to receive the injection, as long as there are no risk factors for serious disease or a lower vaccine effectiveness in those present.
The reasoning is that people who have received the vaccines have a very low risk of developing serious illness, while the risk of contracting the virus from someone who has been vaccinated is also low.
Europe has finally turned a corner Covid-19 vaccinations
EU countries are stranded in protracted lockdowns amid ongoing infection flare-ups across the continent. As the roll-out of vaccinations progresses, the 27-country bloc is working on measures to reduce restrictions, including travel, on those who have been vaccinated or recovered from the virus and are thus considered immune through the introduction of vaccine passports.
ECDC guidelines may provide additional justification for progressively loosening measures for the increasing proportion of the population receiving the admissions.
Requirements for testing and quarantining travelers and regular workplace testing “may be waived or modified for fully vaccinated individuals as long as there is no or very low circulation of immune escape variants,” the guidelines said.