Life after the vaccine: How soon will we get back to normal?

Vaccine recipients can still transmit COVID-19

As people across the D.C. region roll up their sleeves to get the vaccine, many are wondering what is safe to do after getting the shot and what should you still avoid?

WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - As people across the D.C. region roll up their sleeves to get the vaccine, many are wondering what is safe to do after getting the shot and what should you still avoid?

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FOX 5 posed questions to different health experts about what they will and won’t do post-vaccination:

1. Would you get on an airplane or train?

• Dr. Amesh Adalja: "Yes, I would."

• Dr. Amira Roess: "I would only get on an airplane or train if it were really critical that I traveled so for vacation I still wouldn’t do that i would wait longer for community transmission rate to decrease and I’d want more people to get vaccinated before i feel comfortable getting on a train or a plane for pleasure and always wear the mask and social distance when you travel."

2. Would you eat indoors?

• Dr. Amesh Adalja: "Yes, I would."

• Dr. Amira Roess: "I’m happy to pick up take out, I do that a far bit, but I will not eat indoors at a restaurant."

3. Would you go to the gym?

• Dr. Amesh Adalja: "Yes, I would."

• Dr. Amira Roess: "Right now, I really would not."

4. Would you gather with friends inside?

• Dr. Amesh Adalja: "Yes, I would."

• Dr. Amira Roess: "Not indoors unless they are in my pod and I only have two families in my pod."

If you’re wondering if it is okay to hug your grandma, grandpa, or loved ones – they both said yes, but just keep the interaction short and sweet.

The vaccine may be a shot of relief to some, but the reality is – life will continue to look different for a while.

"To get back to normal or as close to 2019 as we can get, I think we’re looking into the summer when you have when we’re closer to that herd immunity threshold. It will be a step-wide, gradual move. It’s not going to be one day that everything is back to normal. It’s going to be over time, certain restrictions starting to get lifted as more people get vaccinated as we have less people in the hospital with COVID-19 and this becomes less of a public health emergency," said Dr. Adalja.

Dr. Adalja said vaccinated people don’t pose a risk to each other and can resume activities as they did before the pandemic started. However, when you’re around people who have not been vaccinated, it is important be a little more careful.

While the chance of getting sick is low after getting the shot, you could be a silent carrier and spread the virus to others.

Dr. Adalja said the goal of the vaccination process is to be able to better control COVID-19 because it’s not going away. It will continue to be a seasonal respiratory virus.

"Vaccines are the path back to normalcy. We have to be careful not to undersell the vaccines because people aren’t going to want to get the vaccines if they think nothing changes for them. Things are going to change. It’s going to take some time for data to accrue and more people to get vaccinated. What these vaccines do is to help people from getting severe disease," said Dr. Adalja.

He adds when we see less hospitalizations and deaths, that is when we may see health experts and Governors start to loosen coronavirus restrictions.

Even when that happens, masks, hand washing, and social distancing are still important. According to health experts, if you are exposed to COVID-19 after being vaccinated, you no longer have to quarantine.