CHLOE KOWALYK
Asst. News Editor
As the semester comes to a close, more and more students are buzzing about the upcoming summer vacation.
However, with COVID-19 cases still on the rise, many restrictions are still in place, limiting summer activities.
The CDC still recommends all people should continue to wear masks and social distance at least six feet apart from others.
Everyone is encouraged to continue washing their hands and using hand sanitizer as often as possible.
The CDC also suggests avoiding large crowds and indoor activities that allow for poor ventilation.
Luckily, warmer weather means more opportunities for outdoor activities, where there is more room for proper ventilation and social distancing.
With more people getting vaccinated, the CDC has provided additional updates to their guidelines.
A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
According to recent CDC guidelines, fully vaccinated people can gather indoors with other fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask or social distancing.
Fully vaccinated individuals can also gather outside without masks or staying six feet apart, except when in significantly large crowds or venues.
This means that with many more outside events in the works, many students are preparing for this coming summer.
“Personally, I feel comfortable now as long as I’m around other vaccinated people, but I’m still stressed and super careful when out in public,” said Alex Erwin, a student at SUNY Fredonia.
As more data is gathered about the effectiveness of the vaccines, the CDC guidelines will be updated for the summer.
Until then, many students have chosen to remain cautious.
Another SUNY Fredonia student, Hunter Halterman, said “I do feel safer now that I’m vaccinated, but I am still going to play it safe, wear my mask and socially distance at all times.”
In general, it seems that many students plan to play it safe, but still hope to have fun before returning to school in the fall.
The CDC recommends that all people continue to wear their masks when in indoor settings, gathering with unvaccinated people or visiting those who may be at an increased risk of severe illness or death as a result of COVID-19.
If you plan to travel, the CDC emphasizes that you should still follow the steps to protect yourself and others.
Even if you are fully vaccinated, you will still be required to wear a mask on all modes of public transportation.
Fully vaccinated travelers planning to go out of the country will still need to get tested within three days of their flight and should still get tested again three to five days after their trip.
In terms of dining, many local restaurants will be open during the summer. With Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s recent lift on the curfew for bars and restaurants, indoor and outdoor seating will be open in New York.
The food and beverage service curfew was recently extended by an hour, to midnight.
This curfew will be lifted entirely for outdoor seating on May 17 and for indoor seating on May 31.
Regarding his plans to slow the spread this summer, Cuomo said, “Everything we’ve been doing is working — all the arrows are pointing in the right direction and now we’re able to increase economic activity even more.”
Overall, the CDC hopes that people will remain cautious this summer and continue to follow their listed guidelines.