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Question: Can those of us who have been vaccinated for COVID-19 loosen up on our safety precautions? I miss attending meetings in person, having meals with colleagues and other “old normal” workplace interactions.

Answer (Hospital Epidemiologist Costi Sifri, MD): While you should feel more protected after getting fully vaccinated against COVID-19, returning to “old normal” face-to-face interactions is not recommended for several reasons:

• You are not risk free. You could still get infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Studies show that the currently available vaccines — Pfizer and Moderna — offer about 95% immunity from the current strain of COVID-19. While that is a high level of immunity, it is not 100% protection.
• You can still get exposed to COVID-19. About 20% of our workforce and most of our patients have not gotten vaccinated, so you are still coming into contact with many people who could expose you to COVID-19 at work.
• COVID-19 variants offer added risks. With confirmation of the hyper-transmissible UK variant B.1.1.7 at UVA, now is not the time to relax health and safety practices.
• You could still be a virus carrier. Until further studies are performed, we do not know if those who are vaccinated could become asymptomatic COVID-19 virus carriers and infect others.
• Your immunity could diminish. At this time, we do not know how long the immunity offered by COVID-19 vaccines will last.

Recommendation: Until we know more about the immunity provided by COVID-19 vaccines, you should continue wearing masks, practicing social distancing, and washing your hands frequently. If you need to satisfy your need for in-person interactions, play it safe by holding them outdoors or in large, well-ventilated locations where social distancing can be maintained. Stay diligent about taking safety precautions — it is the best way to protect your health and that of everyone around you.