EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. — It's been a year since COVID-19 cases started showing up in Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania.
As more and more people continue to get vaccinated, the CDC announced those who are fully inoculated can gather with other people who are, too.
Joan Ysischon lives in East Stroudsburg.
She's been trying to get an appointment for a vaccine.
When she's fully vaccinated, will she take down the mask around others who are vaccinated?
"I don't think so. I think you should keep your mask on. There's young people who are not going with this," she said. "You gotta be careful."
The recommendations also say that vaccinated people can come together in a single home with people considered at low-risk for severe disease.
Vaccinated grandparents can visit healthy children and grandchildren.
"I have eight grandchildren in New York; I only went in August, nope. You know what, they are in contact with all different people, and you don't know what's going to be. They could be okay for themselves, but they can be like Typhoid Mary, transmitting germs. No," said Linda Fox of Stroudsburg.
While many people in Monroe County long for the day where they can take off their mask and be around other community members, they say now is just not the time, even those who are fully vaccinated.
John Brown from Stroudsburg got his second COVID-19 vaccine just last week.
"I am still keeping the mask on. I don't, I mean, the thing hasn't been around for that long, and maybe someone made a mistake and will say, well, maybe we should have kept the masks on. I am not upset about the masks. It's a little annoying," he said.
Craig Banner from Stroudsburg lost his father to the virus in July.
A young person himself, he says even when he is fully vaccinated, he's going to continue safety precautions.
"For a time being, yes. I would rather be safe than sorry. This is not a joke, not a joke. I lost my father a year ago. My son couldn't even say goodbye to his grandfather. I lost a friend a few months ago to the corona; he was only 27. I mean, people are dropping like flies because people aren't wearing masks," he explained.
According to the CDC, getting fully vaccinated against COVID-19 is what the organization calls the first step toward getting back to normalcy in how people can come together.