Vaccine related question for medical people

[Chicken lady]

I have a question for bae and any other people with relevant training. I’m looking for what you think is best practice in this situation:

It is possible (possible is as far as I know at this point) that I will be fully vaccinated by the end of February. If my parents, who are in their mid 70’s are also fully vaccinated, would it be safe for me to go to their house (alone, by car, stopping for gas and probably to pee) and stay with them for several days during spring break in mid March?

How long past our second shots should we be? Should I get tested ahead of time and how many days after my last class should I wait to get tested? (One concern there is that break is only a week and if I teach Friday, and get tested on Monday, I may not be able to get results back in time to have two days of driving and a visit - although at this point I would go for one day if it was safe.)

Dad is an overweight heart patient with a cpap who was just declared “cancer free, no need to come back ever.” last week. My parents have been really careful, and I will wait as long as I have to, but Mom is really lonely and sad. She has decided to leave all the Christmas decorations up until she gets vaccinated because it makes things more cheerful.

She called me very upset last week because one of her best friends had jumped the line and gotten vaccinated and she was appalled and wouldn’t do it, but she really understands.

I would also ask them to ask their medical providers. I was forced to change my primary care physician 5 years ago, and see her for about 15 minutes a year, so I actually know a lot more about how I feel about the opinions of the people here. She’s a stranger with a medical degree and my health records.

happy to provide any additional relevant details.

[razz]

I have no relevant expertise but shared life experience.

CL, this is a question that a lot of people are asking but from what I am reading, no one really knows at present. My DD1 has seen me for a total of 8 hours over the past year for the same reasons as you have presented. I am healthy and fully active. I tell my kids to stay home. I did text them in early November when the forecast was for a gorgeous day and we met outside for a 3-hour visit. I brought portable chairs. I drove 2 1/2 hours, DD2 and hubby drove 3 1/2 hours and DD1 came 1/2 hour to get together. It was wonderful. I expect to do this again in the spring but no overnight visits. We face-timed for Christmas.

Science experts are waiting for data to unfold before they can present any solid opinions that we can use. It is so hard to watch families struggle to do what is nearest right with so many unknowns.

[bae]

My understanding is that 2 weeks after your second dose is when you have achieved maximum response to it.

Nobody knows yet if that means you can't still spread the virus to others.

I would view the vaccination as an additional layer of PPE, and still engage in appropriate social distancing, mask wearing, sanitation, and quarantine practices.

The current CDC recommendation is:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...cines/faq.html

Do I still need to wear a mask and avoid close contact with others if I have received 2 doses of the vaccine?

Yes. While experts learn more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide under real-life conditions, it will be important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to us to help stop this pandemic, like covering your mouth and nose with a mask, washing hands often, and staying at least 6 feet away from others. Together, COVID-19 vaccination and following CDC’s recommendations for how to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from getting and spreading COVID-19. Experts need to understand more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide before deciding to change recommendations on steps everyone should take to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. Other factors, including how many people get vaccinated and how the virus is spreading in communities, will also affect this decision.

Now, with both yourself and your parents being vaccinated, you might think you're off the hook, since everyone is protected. Except you don't know if the vaccine took in any or all of you - there's a small rate with vaccinations in general of it not "taking" sometimes, for "magic" reasons. One of the vaccination series I received a couple of years ago I had to take multiple times until my blood tests finally revealed that it had taken in my system, and they still check my blood levels every year to make sure all the things I'm supposed to have in my system are still there.

With the covid vaccinations, the initial data on the vaccine show about a 5% ineffectiveness rate, and they haven't done enough work yet to know what the deal is.

Personally, if we all had been vaccinated, and I had done all the other things (self-quarantine before the visit and such), I'd be comfortable visiting. I wouldn't randomly drop by to say hello though after a visit to the grocery store and so on.

[Chicken lady]

Well crap.
There is no way I can quarantine for 14 days on a weeklong break. I can happily go nowhere but work, and I can avoid my coworkers, but I have 65 students.
I didn’t even think about the uptake thing - I have been vaccinated fir Rubella 4 times since I completed the series. So the “manwho” theory puts me at higher risk for that.
my geographic area currently has a less than 7% cumulative infection rate and from what I’m hearing about a 40% vaccine adoption rate. So we should reach herd immunity in about 5 years.

[Gardnr]

I echo Bae. Don't join households without sufficient quarantine by all of you. Don't stop wearing a mask and don't stop social distancing. WE have a a long way to go before mitigation habits can safely stop.