NEWS Coronavirus News CDC: COVID Testing Isn't Necessary For Fully Vaccinated People By Korin Miller Korin Miller Korin Miller is a health and lifestyle journalist who has been published in The Washington Post, Prevention, SELF, Women's Health, The Bump, and Yahoo, among other outlets. Learn about our editorial process Published on May 28, 2021 Fact checked Verywell Health content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Daniella Amato Fact checked by Daniella Amato Daniella Amato is a biomedical scientist and fact checker with expertise in pharmaceuticals and clinical research. Learn about our editorial process Share Tweet Email Print vichie81 / Getty Images Key Takeaways Most people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 don't need to be tested after being exposed to the virus.There are exceptions to this testing recommendation.Fully vaccinated people should still monitor their symptoms after being exposed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance for people who are fully vaccinated, saying that most don’t need to be tested for COVID-19, even after having a known exposure to the virus. The CDC guidance specifically says that fully vaccinated people can “refrain” from testing unless they’re residents or employees of a correctional or detention facility, or a homeless shelter. As a whole, though, the CDC says that the risk of infection for someone who is fully vaccinated is “low." A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second shot in a two-shot series, or two weeks after being vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The CDC still recommends that fully vaccinated people who have had a known exposure to COVID-19 monitor their symptoms for 14 days. And, if a fully vaccinated person experiences symptoms of COVID-19, the CDC advises that then get tested for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The change comes along with new CDC guidance that says fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting, except where required by law, rules, or regulations. Half of U.S. Adults Are Fully Vaccinated. How Do We Reach the Other Half? These changes in guidance come alongside a push from the Biden administration to get at least 70% of adults in the U.S. one dose of the vaccine by July 4. According to the latest government data, at least 62% of adults in the U.S. have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 50% have received both doses. What This Means For You If you’re fully vaccinated, you do not need to get tested if you’re exposed to someone with COVID-19. However, you should monitor your symptoms over the next 14 days and get tested if you develop signs of COVID-19. COVID Testing Isn't All That Necessary Anymore The new guidance is promising, William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, tells Verywell. “This set of recommendations means that the CDC has terrific confidence in the COVID vaccine and that they anticipate that vaccinated people only very occasionally will be the source of infection for anyone else," he says. How Are States Responding to CDC Mask Guidelines? Testing people who are fully vaccinated runs the risk of false-positive results, John Sellick, DO, an infectious disease expert and professor of medicine at the University at Buffalo/SUNY, tells Verywell. “When you have a very low presence of infection and many people are vaccinated, testing is largely unnecessary in the vaccinated population,” he says. In general, Sellick says, “I would not ask fully-vaccinated people to pursue testing, unless they have extenuating circumstances, like someone at home who is immunosuppressed.” Will Incentives Encourage More People to Get COVID-19 Vaccines? Overall, Sellick says that not testing people who are fully vaccinated is unlikely to change much about the course of the pandemic. “We’re now trying to chip away at vaccine-hesitant people,” he says. “Hopefully, when they see how safe and effective these vaccines are, it will encourage them to get vaccinated.” The latest guidance is a sign that “we’re on the road to recovery," Sellick adds. "We’re not completely there yet, but we’re beating this pandemic down, no doubt about it.” The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit our coronavirus news page. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 2 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When You’ve Been Fully Vaccinated.