Rights, travel, illness: all you need to know about the second vaccination

Many vaccine doses are currently used in doctors’ offices and vaccination centers for the second vaccination. According to the prognosis of the Central Institute for Statutory Health Insurance in Germany, almost 25 million people in Germany should be fully vaccinated by the beginning of July.

But what does that mean and what do those affected need to know?

These rights exist with the second vaccination

Two weeks after the second vaccination, those affected are considered “fully vaccinated”. Like people who have recovered, they are then no longer bound by contact restrictions, test regulations or curfews, regardless of the incidence in their place of residence or residence.

Those who have recovered are those who can be shown to have contracted the coronavirus within the past six months.

What applies when traveling?

Anyone who has received a second vaccination can travel freely within the European Union two weeks after the injection and from June 1st with their vaccination card, vaccination certificate or digital green ID card.

In some countries, people who have been vaccinated again or those who have recovered may be asked to do random rapid tests at the airports, and entry registrations are still valid in many places for risk areas. When returning from a risk area, from the beginning of June, for the most part, quarantine no longer applies for those who have been vaccinated or recovered who have the appropriate evidence. For trips to other EU countries, proof must be presented before the trip. The EU Commission decided in March.

Virus variant areas are still an exception. A quarantine obligation and a negative PCR test continue to apply when entering the country – even for those who have been vaccinated twice. The individual countries can also freely decide what should apply when entering and leaving high-risk areas.

Like all other travelers, those who have been vaccinated twice should always check before they travel which regulations apply, which forms have to be filled out and which documents are valid as proof of vaccination. The mask requirement and the distance rules remain in place for the time being.

What applies in the restaurant, in the beer garden and at private meetings?

Second vaccinated persons are exempt from contact restrictions at private meetings and are not counted.

You can meet more people than people who have not been vaccinated. Those who are still waiting for a vaccination can meet between five and a maximum of ten people from a total of two or even three households, depending on the infection rate and the respective country decision.

What applies to second vaccinated people when shopping?

In principle, there is no need to test in department stores, furniture stores or fashion stores. An appointment obligation remains in place in the case of a high incidence, because dealers are still allowed to let fewer customers into the branches than usual.

Discounters and supermarkets will also continue to make shopping carts compulsory because additional staff would have to be used to check IDs and documents.

The mask requirement continues to apply on the entire premises of the dealers – including the parking lot. This has also been specified in many house rules.

What applies to people who are second vaccinated in the gym?

In many gyms, people who were given a second vaccination can train without testing. But you still need an appointment in Bavaria, for example, similar to department stores, the number of people in the sports palaces is limited.

The time windows in the individual countries are designed so that those affected can train for at least one hour. If you need more time to exercise, simply book a connection slot.

What happens if a second vaccinee falls ill?

According to the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI) in Langen, existing scientific data show that the viral load is lower in those who have been completely vaccinated than in those who have not been vaccinated. The higher federal authority analyzes, documents and monitors the vaccination campaign in Germany.

However, since the vaccination does not prevent the infection, but in particular the disease, it is possible that people who have been completely vaccinated actually become infected despite a second vaccination. As a rule, however, they do not cause symptoms and can still pass the virus on.

According to the Robert Koch Institute, “the full effectiveness of the vaccination will only be achieved after completion of the basic immunization”.

If a test found a corona infection in a second vaccinated person, the following applies: Like all other people who tested positive, those affected must report to the health authorities and go into quarantine.