INDIANAPOLIS — On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control said fully-vaccinated Americans can gather with other vaccinated people indoors without wearing a mask or social distancing.
The guidelines add that people who have been vaccinated can gather similarly with people considered at low-risk for severe disease, like vaccinated grandparents visiting healthy children and grandchildren.
Larry and Rose Ann Shelton know living through the pandemic this past year could have been worse.
“It hasn’t been a fun year, but it hasn’t been a hard year, because we don’t know anybody that got hurt with it,” said Larry.
The Sheltons' biggest challenge has been the loneliness that comes from not being able to get close to their three grandchildren.
“We’ve been able to see them, but they used to come here and spend the night about every weekend and we haven’t done that,” Larry said.
“Our granddaughter just turned 13 and it was hard not to kiss or hug,” said Rose Ann. “I think we took the masks off to eat birthday cake, but other than that, we had our masks on. It doesn’t feel natural.”
Amid the new guidance from the CDC, the Sheltons are hopeful. They received their second round of the Moderna vaccine three weeks ago, which means they’re free to gather inside without masks with their grandchildren who don’t have any health issues that could put them at risk.
“It was a relief to get the second shot and just know that you’re safe to do whatever you can do, whatever you need to do. I was relieved,” Larry said.
It means this weekend, it’s likely the Sheltons will have some overnight guests for the first time in a year.
“We wanted to be able to see the grandkids and have the grandkids come back and spend the night and to travel and do things we’d like to do," said Larry. "We haven’t done anything for a year."
Fortunately, the Shelton grandchildren live nearby. In Monday's announcement, the CDC continues to advise against travel, even for those fully vaccinated.
The Sheltons aren’t worried about the latter.
Their first priority is quality time with the grandkids, hugging and spoiling them, like they did before COVID-19.
“The grandkids wear masks all the time, they’re so used to it. It’s going to be funny when we get the chance to remove theirs, too,” Larry said.