CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For the first time ever, over Easter weekend, more than 4 million vaccines were given in a single day in the United States. Now, nearly 40% of adults in the United States have received at least one shot.
North Carolina is days away from expanding eligibility to all adults 16 and older and already, one in four North Carolinians are fully vaccinated.
The protection of the shots is giving some people the confidence to safely do things they haven't in over a year.
This pandemic has been isolating and forced so many people to stay away from their families. But data shows both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are almost as effective as promised.
“It’s about 90% effective not just at preventing people from getting COVID but it also looking like its effective at preventing people from spreading COVID to others which is what we're looking for to get this pandemic under control,” Dr. John Torres, NBC News’ Senior Medical Correspondent, said.
That is giving many people the confidence and freedom to reunite.
Jennifer Winningham and her family spent Christmas spread out across the country on FaceTime.
“That’s the first time that we've not gotten together in my entire life,” Winningham said.
Her dad's 80th birthday was spent together but distanced. Normally they’d snap a picture of him surrounded by his kids and grandkids. The picture from 2020 showed him, his cake and a bottle of hand sanitizer.
“We were distanced at the tables, nobody was sitting next to each other, we stayed outside we did not gather inside at all," Winningham said. "Plenty of hand sanitizer sitting out and plenty of precautions."
Have a relative or friend in another state and want to know when they can get vaccinated? Visit NBC News' Plan Your Vaccine site to find out about each state's vaccine rollout plan.
But by Easter, Winningham, her dad and sisters were all fully vaccinated, allowing them to safely have a small gathering and finally -- after 15 months -- hug each other.
“It was just almost surreal," she said. "It was kind of one of those things that as I was driving the five hours there, I was just thinking how crazy to think I was going to get to hug my dad and how simple that should be but we've been so cautious around him."
It's the vaccines that gave them the confidence to spend a weekend together as a family and gave them a glimpse at life after the pandemic.
“It was really nice to not have to worry about do I have COVID? Could I give them COVID? Could I give my dad COVID?” she said. “This was definitely the most normal weekend I’ve had in a while."
The CDC says fully vaccinated people can gather indoors without a mask and with one household of people who are unvaccinated if they're not high risk. But it's still necessary to wear a mask and social distance out in public.