Your coronavirus vaccine questions answered – including if you can hug someone

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Currently more than six million first doses of the coronavirus vaccine have been administered.

The plan is for all people in the top four priority groups to have been offered their first dose by the middle of February.

That means everyone in care homes, frontline health and social care workers, all those aged 70 and above and the clinically extremely vulnerable.

As more and more people are vaccinated against coronavirus, many are wondering what this means.

Brits have been living with social distancing guidelines for almost a year, and many haven’t been able to hug family or friends they don’t live with.

But what does the vaccine mean for social distancing? Can you hug someone who has been vaccinated?

Here are all your coronavirus vaccine questions answered by Dr Mike Tildesley, a member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling which advises the Government, and Azeem Majeed, professor of primary care and public health at Imperial College London, as reported by the Mirror.

Can you hug someone who has had the coronavirus vaccine?

Those who have had the coronavirus vaccine will still have to follow social distancing rules in their area.

That is not only because two doses are needed for protection, but it’s also not yet known if those who’ve had the jab can unknowingly spread the virus.

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Professor Majeed said: “One vaccination offers only partial protection. Two vaccinations are needed for maximum protection.

"And even after receiving two doses of vaccine, you would still need to follow any lockdown rules that were in place in your local area.”

If you’ve been shielding, can you form a bubble with other family members when you’ve been vaccinated?

Those who have been advised to shield should continue to do so until the advice changes, says Dr Tildesley.

He added: “It may be that once lockdown has ended and enough people have been vaccinated that the advice around shielding may change, but while the virus is still circulating vulnerable people should still take precautions, because there’s a chance they’ll be one of the people who aren’t protected.”

Can you still be fined for breaking the rules if you show proof of vaccination?

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Yes, says Prof Majeed, adding: “Proof of vaccination does not exempt you from following any local or national rules that are in place.”

Will you need to show proof of vaccine before travelling abroad?

Some countries may require proof of vaccination before allowing you to travel there, according to Prof Majeed.

“But,” he added: “This will vary from country to country.”

Do you still need to self-isolate if you’ve been in contact with someone who tested positive, if you’ve had your vaccine?

You will still need to self-isolate in this case, says Prof Majeed.

He added: “If you have been in recent contact with someone who has tested positive, you would still need to self-isolate for 10 days because at this point, we don’t know if vaccination stops you being infectious.”

If my grandparents have both their jabs, and once lockdown has ended, can I go see them?

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If the ban on household mixing has been lifted by the government, you can go see them, says Dr Tildesley. However, you’ll still need to take precautions.

He said: “Vaccines aren’t 100% effective, so if somebody who is in the vulnerable category has had their jab it massively reduces their likelihood of developing symptoms, but it doesn’t reduce it to zero.

“Your gran may be one of the small number of people who won’t get protection from the vaccine. There will still be a risk until enough people have had the vaccine so that everyone’s protected.”

Can an employer force you to get vaccinated?

Dr Tildesley said: “I suspect if it’s not written in your contact, employers can’t force you to have the vaccine, but that may change in the future.

“I heard recently about the owner of a care home in which half his staff had refused the vaccine. He said he couldn’t force current employees to have it, but he said he would insist on all future employees being vaccinated as a condition of their employment.”

• Coronavirus

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