The minefield that is Covid-19 is fast becoming more difficult to navigate as new rules come into play for those who are vaccinated or recovered as opposed to those who are not protected.
Contact tracing continues to be one of our best tools in slowing the spread of the virus from each case diagnosed.
The same rules remain in place for those who have not recovered from the virus or received their full vaccine dose when they come in contact with a case.
The definition of a close contact according to the HSE is anyone that has:
- spent more than 15 minutes of face-to-face contact within 2 metres of someone who has COVID-19, indoors or outdoors
- lived in the same house or shared accommodation as someone who has COVID-19
- sat within 2 seats of someone who has COVID-19 on public transport or an airplane
Those who are unprotected against Covid-19, have to restrict their movements and book a test to see if they have become infected.
However, now that many people have received their full dose of a Covid vaccine, the rules have changed - even if your close contact lives with you.
If you are identified as a close contact and you have received a vaccine, you do not need to restrict your movements or be tested for COVID-19 if it is more than:
- 7 days after your 2nd Pfizer-BioNTech dose
- 14 days after your 2nd Moderna dose
- 14 days after the Janssen vaccine
- 15 days after your 2nd AstraZeneca dose
Similar rules apply if you have recently recovered from the virus. There is good evidence that suggests that you will be immune for at least 9 months after infection, and so during those 9 months the HSE confirm that you:
- are unlikely to become infected with Covid-19 again
- will not need to be retested unless you develop symptoms of Covid-19
- will not need to restrict your movements if you are a close contact of someone else who has Covid-19
