The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment (JCDHE) will adopt the guidance provided today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that individuals who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 can resume activities – indoor or outdoor, large or small – safely without wearing a mask or physical distancing. Exceptions include health care settings, correctional facilities, shelters or on public transportation like an airplane, bus or train.

People are considered fully vaccinated:

• 2 weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
• 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine

“This is what we have been working toward. The science is clear – the vaccines are working. We hope everyone age 12 and older takes advantage of this important tool to stay safe and end the pandemic. Getting vaccinated protects you, it protects others, and it lets us begin to return to normal,” says Dr. Sanmi Areola, JCDHE director.

Employers can still set their own rules and guidelines regarding wearing masks and physical distancing. Employees should continue to follow their workplace rules and guidance.

Areola says that individuals who are not fully vaccinated, including children under age 12, should continue to wear a well-fitted mask, stay 6 feet or more from those they don’t live with and avoid crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces.

The COVID-19 vaccine is free and widely available to anyone age 12 and older at health systems, pharmacies, some doctor’s offices and JCDHE’s vaccination site located at 15500 W. 108th Street, Lenexa. Individuals wishing to be vaccinated can stop by the county’s vaccination site during walk-in hours or schedule an appointment at https://www.jocogov.org/covid-19-vaccine. To find the site closest to you, visit vaccines.gov; text your ZIP code to 438829 (GETVAX); or call 1-800-232-0233.