Blogs, COVID-19

Why You Should Not Stop Wearing a Mask

June 26, 2021 | by
Thinking of laying back on social distancing protocols? Here are all the reasons why you should practice distance even after getting vaccinated.

Why Social Distancing and Masking Is Essential Even for Vaccinated People

The recent vaccines for COVID-19 are a sign of relief for sure but only to the extent of damage control. The effectiveness of different vaccines varies. Experts still believe that we must not stop wearing a mask and continue observing social distancing rules. Scientists have doubts that people who are vaccinated may be spreading the virus silently. Even though both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines have been effective in preventing the development of serious symptoms, there are suspicions that vaccinated people can still get infected without having visible symptoms and- could be transmitting the virus.

The Myths

Debunking the Myths

Wearing a mask is not required after vaccination

No vaccine has a 100% effectiveness rate so far. Because of this, not wearing a mask could still expose you to the virus since your nose is the main port of entry. Vaccines don’t stop the virus from entering the body. They only protect it from developing severe symptoms.

Social distancing is not required after vaccination

Social distancing will be a norm for some time to come. Even if you have been vaccinated, your chances of getting the virus are not completely eliminated. Since there are more variants developing in different countries, the vaccine may not be effective in dealing with all of them.

Reasons to

Follow Social Distancing Protocols after Vaccination

1. People with compromised or weak immunity are still at a risk

The vaccination trials did not have people with compromised immune systems involved. Therefore, we cannot assume that the effectiveness rate is the same among everyone.

2. The vaccine takes time to work

The vaccine is not designed to give immediate results. Therefore, if you violate social distancing protocols immediately after getting vaccinated, you are as exposed to the virus as someone who has not been vaccinated. It takes a good two weeks after the second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines for the effectiveness to reach 95%.

3. Vaccines are in limited quantities

Ideally, the purpose of creating vaccines was to have them reach every corner of the world and create herd immunity. However, that is still not the case, and we are far from getting to herd immunity- given that new variants keep popping up every day, and corruption and black markets only make it harder for them to reach people.

Many experts now report that it is safe for vaccinated people to enjoy the privilege of not wearing a mask in limited indoor gatherings- as long as they are with people who are also fully vaccinated. These same exert agree that fully vaccinated people still need to follow the same mask protocols in public places for the safety of others.

Road ahead

Conclusion

There are several reasons to keep following preventative measures, but what we can take away from thie above advice is that receiving one's vaccination is not an automatic "off button." People across the globe are still being exposed to the worst health crisis humanity has ever experienced. As much as we’d like, everyone needs to remain responsible when it comes to Covid-19. In the meantime, there should be no instant return to normal life.

Disclaimer: Please note, this blog post is provided for informational purposes and is not intended to replace the guidance of your personal physician. Please consult a medical professional if you have any concerns after reading this or other blog posts on this website.