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Ask the Doctor: I’m fully vaccinated and in watch and wait. How safe is it to visit unvaccinated grandkids?

This content was current as of the date it was released. In science and medicine, information is constantly changing and may become out-of-date as new data emerge.

Question:

I have CLL and am in the watch and wait category. I have been vaccinated (second shot in March).  I am going to a small kindergarten graduation party for my grandson this weekend. There will be very few adults and they have all been vaccinated. The only ones who haven’t been are my grandkids – ages 5 and 1 years old and obviously not vaccinated. Most of the gathering will be outside but I am pretty sure we will be eating inside.

Answer: When CLL patients encounter situations where they need to be around unvaccinated and unmasked individuals, we are still recommending you wear a tightly‑fitted face mask at all times (preferably an N-95 if you have access to one) and maintain social distancing. If there are scenarios where you must eat or drink (need to remove the mask), we would encourage you to distance yourself even a few feet further from those who are unmasked and always remain outside when possible.

This is not the news any of us want to hear, but especially with the Delta variant in our midst and the rest of society no longer protecting themselves with regular mask-wearing in public, we must remain diligent with continued COVID-19 protective measures perhaps more now than ever.

You might also consider reading Dr. John Byrd’s opinion piece that he shared on our website regarding weighing the risks when it comes to situations such as these.