While these developments mark a historic moment and hold much promise, that doesn’t mean Americans will be able to stop wearing masks anytime soon. CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and visiting professor at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, explains why.
CNN: Does the vaccine protect people from COVID-19? If so, why do I still have to wear a mask?
Wen: This is a good question! It’s important to be clear about what we know and what we don’t know about what the vaccine does. What we know is that the Pfizer vaccine is very effective in the prevention of symptomatic illnesses and serious illnesses. That means the vaccine appears to prevent people from getting so sick that they get symptoms, and most importantly, it prevents people from getting so seriously ill that they end up in hospital. This is really great news.
This is what the studies don’t show yet. They have not checked whether the vaccine will prevent someone from carrying COVID-19 and from spreading it to others. It is possible that someone will receive the vaccine, but is still an asymptomatic carrier. They may not show any symptoms, but they have the virus in their nasal cavity so that when they talk, breathe, sneeze, and so on, they can still pass it on to others.
This is the main reason why we cannot stop wearing masks right after we get the vaccine. The vaccine protects you from getting sick and then ending up in hospital. But you may still carry the virus with you and be contagious to others. So those who get the vaccine still have to wear masks and give up physical distance.
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CNN: Does this mean we have to wear masks in public from now on?
Wen: No, not forever, but for a while longer. It is estimated that about 70% of Americans must be vaccinated before we can get immunity through vaccination. That’s the point when enough people have the immune defense that the virus will stop spreading.
This means that about 230 million Americans should get the vaccine. It will take time to produce that many vaccines – and remember, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are two-dose vaccines, so you’ll need double the number of doses as humans. Then the vaccine must be distributed and actually given to people. If all goes well, the best estimates are that it will be late spring or early summer for most Americans to get the vaccine. At that point, we could probably see each other without masks – but not before.
CNN: Can this timeline be accelerated?
Wen: Vaccine development has already progressed at an incredible speed. The fastest vaccine developed before this pandemic was four years. We now have an approved vaccine in less than a year.
How quickly we achieve herd immunity depends on the production, distribution, and willingness of the American people to take the vaccine. There is concern that many Americans may not use the vaccine, even if it is available. We need a thoughtful information campaign that is tailored to different communities.
And we need everyone’s help! When it is your turn, take the vaccine. Help spread the word and convince your family and friends of the importance of the vaccine to save lives and end this pandemic.
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CNN: What about people who can’t get the vaccine? Should they continue to wear masks?
Wen: For now, everyone should continue to wear masks. There will be small numbers of people who cannot receive vaccines. In the beginning, children cannot receive vaccines because it has not yet been tested on children. It is also possible that there are a number of medical conditions that prevent certain people from getting the vaccine, or that the vaccine may be less effective for them. That’s why the rest of us need to be vaccinated to protect them. Herd immunity is also called community immunity: the community is vaccinated to protect everyone.
That is why we continue to wear masks. We do it to protect ourselves and to protect others. Remember, even after we get the vaccine, we can spread the virus to others. The vaccine is also very effective, but it is not 100%. The mask still protects you too.
CNN: Would you still continue to wear a mask after getting the vaccine?
Wen: Yes. I will do it to protect others and also to protect myself. Here’s another way to think about the importance of wearing a mask. The vaccine will protect you if the virus reaches your nose and mouth. Your body feels the virus, and instead of the virus attacking your body, your body’s immune system kicks in and gets rid of the virus.
First of all, it is very important to prevent the virus from reaching your body. Wearing a mask does that. Also take a physical distance. These are really important measures to avoid contracting and transmitting coronavirus to others.
You will certainly see the wearing of a mask among health professionals, who are among the first to receive the vaccine. The vaccine is an important layer of protection for us, but we will use these other measures to protect ourselves and those around us.
CNN: With the number of COVID cases hitting record highs in the US, the vaccine couldn’t come too soon. With only a small percentage of the US population getting the vaccine to begin with, it seems that most people will not immediately reap the benefits of this initial rollout, right?
Wen: Absolutely. It’s really amazing that we have a vaccine that appears to be 95% effective and very safe. We will be able to end the pandemic. But this takes time. Initial vaccine allocation will reach just over 1% of the population. It takes time to scale up to 70%.
Everyone should continue to follow the precautions we’ve been talking about all this time: wear a mask. Keep physical distance. Avoid indoor gatherings. Wash your hands.
I’ll add one more: get the vaccine when it’s your turn. We can make it through this winter, and spring and summer hold so much promise.
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