Staying Healthy
Can I see my grandkids?
Ask the doctors
Q. I got my second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine three weeks ago. My 8-year-old and 10-year-old grandchildren want to come and stay with me for the weekend. Is it safe for me to have them over?
A. According to the CDC, people who are fully vaccinated can safely see family members without masks provided those family members are not considered high risk for severe COVID-19 illness (or live with someone who is), and that the people they are visiting with live together in one household. The CDC considers you fully vaccinated if it's been at least two weeks since you received either your second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or a single dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. Having children from different families over at the same time isn't recommended because it may contribute to the spread of COVID-19. Children in this age group aren't eligible for the vaccine yet, and they could potentially infect one another.
The CDC says that fully vaccinated people may also meet with one another indoors without wearing masks, but that they should continue to wear masks in public. You should also continue to wear a mask if you are gathering with unvaccinated people from more than one household at one time. And it's still wise to avoid large or medium-sized gatherings.
About the Authors
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
Hope Ricciotti, MD, Editor at Large, Harvard Women's Health Watch
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