CLEVELAND — Ohioans who are fully vaccinated will no longer be asked to quarantine if they have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19, Ohio Gov. DeWine said on Tuesday during a briefing at the Wolstein Center.
“The power of this vaccine allows us to do this," DeWine said.
DeWine said this means, for example, that vaccinated students 16 and older who participate in sports and other extracurricular activities no longer have to miss competition if they're exposed.
"I hope this change will encourage more students, and more of our young people to get the vaccine," DeWine said.
The change in the order also applies to adults, except those in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or other congregate care settings. DeWine said nursing homes and long-term care facilities should continue to quarantine following CDC guidance.
Fully vaccinated means the following for each vaccine:
- Those who have received Johnson & Johnson are fully vaccinated two weeks after the single dose
- Those who have received Moderna and Pfizer are fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose
Dr. Amy Edwards of University Hospitals said the latest announcement from DeWine Tuesday is a step in the right direction.
“People who are vaccinated can theoretically spread the virus, but it doesn't appear very easy. Based on that data, there's essentially no point in quarantining them,” Edwards said. “You no longer have to take ten days off work or ten days to work from home. You can continue to go to work. A lot of these lifting of regulations on vaccinated people just makes sense from a public health standpoint.”
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