Summer 2021 COVID-19 Etiquette Guide

Beach parties, backyard barbecues and big get-togethers are inching their way back after the COVID-19 pandemic hit the "Pause" button on our social lives - but how can you safely create memories with family and friends as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations change? This guide explains the most current CDC recommendations and how you can make the most of Summer 2021.

If you're fully vaccinated, you can go back to the activities you enjoyed before the pandemic - you don't have to wear a mask or physically distance yourself from others (except where it's required by law or a local business's rules). If you're not fully vaccinated, either because you haven't completed your series of shots (and waited the appropriate amount of time after your final dose) or because you've chosen not to get the vaccine, you can still enjoy the same activities - but the CDC recommends that you continue wearing a mask and physically distance yourself in many situations.

Outdoor Activities

The great outdoors is the safest place to be for everyone - and, coincidentally, outdoor lighting can help you create spectacular photos you can use in personalized photo books (hint, hint). According to the CDC, vaccinated and unvaccinated people can enjoy outdoor activities alone or with members of their own households without masking up in the fresh air.

Small Indoor & Outdoor Gatherings

The CDC says it's safe to put that dinner picnic, pool party or birthday party on your calendar this summer. During a small, outdoor gathering, where fresh air can flow freely, the likelihood of catching COVID-19 isn't as high as it is in other situations. Although anyone could still pick up the virus, you don't have to miss important celebrations and events if they're outdoors.

If everyone who's together is vaccinated, nobody has to wear a mask during outdoor activities or small outdoor gatherings, according to CDC guidance. The health agency does, however, recommend that people who are unvaccinated continue to wear a mask.

Large Outdoor Gatherings

Large, crowded outdoor gatherings (such as concerts, sporting events and parades) aren't as safe as smaller gatherings where you know everyone. That has a lot to do with how close you'll be to other people whose statuses you don't know; even people with no symptoms can still spread the virus. For that reason, the CDC recommends that if you're not fully vaccinated, you still wear a mask and attempt to keep your group distanced from others - that way, you'll have a lower chance of catching COVID.

If you're fully vaccinated and exposed to the disease, your risk of suffering from severe side effects of the disease are lower, and the CDC says that you don't have to wear a mask or socially distance if you don't want to. (Of course, you're always free to wear a mask and socially distance, even if you're fully vaccinated.)

Dining Out at Restaurants

If you're like most people, you're more than ready to get out and enjoy someone else's cooking (and be able to skip out on dish duty) - we know we are! The CDC says that vaccinated people can go mask-free while dining at an outdoor restaurant (except where it's required by law or a local business's rules) with friends from multiple households, but recommends that people who aren't vaccinated or who haven't received a second shot of a two-dose regimen still wear masks unless they're actively eating or drinking.

The same is true for indoor dining - because of the way the air circulates in restaurants (and other indoor businesses), it's safest for people who aren't vaccinated to continue wearing their masks unless they're eating or drinking. The risk of catching COVID-19 in an indoor environment is higher than it is in an outdoor one, so the CDC suggests that vaccinated people, who are less-likely to die from COVID, are the only ones who should be unmasked in situations like these. (And don't worry - once you're outdoors and away from people you don't know, it's a bit safer for your whole party remove their masks for a photo, regardless of your vaccination status!)

Other Summer Events: Masked or Unmasked?

The CDC says that outdoor events are safer for everyone, vaccinated or not, but the agency encourages people to evaluate their own situations. If you're at a higher risk of complications from COVID-19, or if someone you care about is, wearing your mask may be a better choice than not wearing it. No matter what you decide to do, the CDC asks that you respect businesses that have mask rules in place and follow state and local guidance to keep the whole community safe.

Fully vaccinated people - those who have received the immunization (either the single-dose version or both shots of the two-dose version) and have waited the appropriate amount of time for their bodies to build up strong defenses - can participate in any activities without a mask. However, those who aren't fully vaccinated run a greater risk of becoming severely ill from the disease, so the CDC recommends that they maintain social distancing, wear masks, and wash their hands frequently during any type of gathering (other than outdoor activities with members of the same household or at small, outdoor gatherings with fully vaccinated people).

What Are Your Summer Plans?

This year, we have a double-dose of cabin fever - we've been cooped up at home because of the weather and because of a global pandemic - so we're sure you're looking forward to making memories with your loved ones this summer. We'd love to hear what you have planned or what you've been up to since the CDC changed its guidance, so share your best photos of your favorite outdoor activities with us on Instagram (we're @Mixbook), whether you're looking forward to hitting the trails, celebrating special events, or just ready to spend time with the people you care about most.