In March, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidelines that address questions about people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19. The CDC stated that fully vaccinated people—those who have received both doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines (or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine) at least two weeks previously—could gather indoors without wearing masks. The guidelines also said that vaccinated individuals can safely meet indoors without masks with unvaccinated people from one other household (such as visiting with relatives who all live together), unless any of those people or anyone they live with has an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

For people like me and many of my patients who have taken extreme precautions throughout the past year—including not setting foot in a grocery store—getting vaccinated felt like a big step forward. As soon as I reviewed the guidelines, I made plans to entertain my first vaccinated houseguests and looked forward to seeing their unmasked smiling faces in person. I also made reservations at a local farm-to-table restaurant, and for the first time in a year felt comfortable removing my mask to eat in the company of people outside my household.

On the day the CDC released its guidelines, I hugged a vaccinated friend who came for a visit—and I got a bear hug in return that lifted me straight off the floor. These strides in a slow, measured return to normalcy bring much relief after a year of worrying about family, friends, and patients under my care. We aim to answer your questions with our story “Experts Address COVID-19 Vaccine Questions and Concerns,” which explains how the Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines work. It also offers suggestions for how to secure a vaccine and lists the many reasons neurologists and infectious disease specialists recommend that you get vaccinated when you are eligible.

We understand that some people are fearful or distrustful of the vaccines and hope that you'll have honest and open conversations with your physicians, including your neurologists, if you have any concerns. In the course of those discussions, you may ask your doctors about viral variants of COVID-19. (There are now several strains in the United States.) As the CDC guidelines emphasized, early data suggest the vaccines may work against some variants but could be less effective against others. And the CDC advised that we must continue to wear masks and socially distance in public.

To learn more about the variants and why they've appeared, we asked Dr. David B. Clifford, an infectious disease specialist and neurologist at Washington University in St. Louis, to provide more context in our Ask Your Neurologist column.

Our cover story features the talk show host Larry King, who died in January 2021. In one of his final interviews, he told us how his unflagging spirit and commitment to work aided in his recovery from a near-fatal stroke in 2019. In our feature on epilepsy, NASCAR driver Matt Tifft talks about why he decided to share his diagnosis of epilepsy publicly. We also describe new treatment options for various forms of the condition. The story in our Disorders department is about frontotemporal dementia and spotlights two courageous women whose lives have been profoundly affected by the disease. In Healthy Living, we have an inspiring story about how music helps people with dementia; useful advice for anyone experiencing back pain; the profile of a mother whose son has fragile X syndrome; and strategies for combating small handwriting, a common symptom of Parkinson's disease.

As we enter the warmer months, I hope you can spend some time outdoors, enjoying the temperate weather and getting some fresh air after being cooped up for so long. By our next issue, the COVID-19 vaccines should be available to all who want them. Please tell us the first thing you did after being fully vaccinated. We'd love to hear about it!

Orly Avitzur, MD, MBA, FAAN, Editor-in-Chief