Many older Americans are struggling to get the COVID-19 vaccine quickly since its release, enabling them to visit their children and grandchildren safely. However, since it is unlikely that their younger children and grandchildren will receive the vaccine anytime soon, medical experts still do not recommend visiting other family members until everyone has been vaccinated.
Dr. Colleen Kelley, an assistant professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, states, "Although it seems the end is in sight, I don't think it will come anytime soon." Dr. Kelley advises that the safest plan is to wait until multiple generations are vaccinated. Even though receiving vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer can effectively prevent individuals from displaying symptoms of COVID-19, there is not enough data to indicate that vaccinated individuals are not still susceptible to infection or transmission. People who have been vaccinated and travel could spread the virus to unvaccinated family members, a risk that no one wants to take.
It is worth noting that due to the uncertainty surrounding the vaccine and the large, ongoing number of infections across the country, Dr. Kelley believes it is better to postpone family visits until transmission rates decrease and every family member has received both vaccine doses. Other experts agree that older individuals should not rush to see their grandchildren.
Additionally, Dr. Scott A. Weisenberg, an infectious disease specialist at NYU Langone Health in New York, remarks, "These grandchildren, although less likely to contract the disease, can carry the virus, and they certainly will not be vaccinated for a long time. We haven't even begun trials for young children yet." Therefore, although fully vaccinated grandparents may be 95% less likely to contract the disease and are certainly less likely to develop severe symptoms, there is still a chance of that happening, especially as the virus spreads in the community.
In the meantime, experts say that we still need to wear protective masks and follow social distancing measures when visiting relatives, especially those who have been quarantined, as much as possible. This certainly applies to those visiting relatives in nursing homes.
