Guiding Principles for Individuals Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19

The CDC has provided guiding principles for individuals who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. These updates were intended to provide fully vaccinated individuals with new guidance in evaluating the safety of various activities, including recommendations related to the wearing of masks. However, the new guidance on masks for those who are fully vaccinated is directed to the public, not specifically to child care or school settings, where groups of unrelated children and adults are together both inside and outside of facilities.

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The expectation continues to be that that if at all feasible, children age two and older and adults, including those who are fully vaccinated, wear masks while in any child care or other early learning settings.

In these settings, the adults are modeling the behavior of mask-wearing inside and outside the facility. This sends the message that wearing masks is a social responsibility to keep everyone safe and healthy.

Currently there is no vaccine authorized for children younger than 16, so programs need to ensure that children age two and older are wearing masks when attending early care and education facilities to protect those who are at risk. Mask-wearing outside is still necessary because physical distancing between young children and their peers, as well as their adult caregivers, is difficult to implement with young children.

Programs should continue to follow C-20-12 Revised, Interim Guidance for Certified Child Care Facilities Operating During the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic as well as C-20-08 COVID-19 Operations for Licensed Child Care.