As more Americans receive the COVID-19 vaccine, getting the first and even second dose does not mean you can toss the face mask.
In fact, the CDC suggests doubling up – two masks with a snug fit around the nose and mouth.
Inova Health System CEO Dr. Stephen Jones spoke with ABC7 News reporter Victoria Sanchez about the pandemic protocols.
“For now, it’s very important to continue masking and social distancing because, number one, 95 percent is not 100 percent. We have to recognize that. More importantly, we don’t yet know how much this protects us for being carriers of this disease. And this mask, now we know, protects not only us but the people around us. And the last thing you want is people thinking they can can’t be a carrier and out there unmasking and exposing people who haven’t had the fortune of being vaccinated already,” said Dr. Jones.
Think of it like this: If the vaccine goes in your arm, it protects you and you alone from severe illness if you catch the virus. There’s a chance that even if you’re not feeling sick, you might spread COVID to others.
“How long do we need to keep the masks around,” asked Sanchez.
“This pandemic is going to go on longer than we hoped that it would. It’s going to take a long time to get everyone vaccinated but if we just protect ourselves in this period of time, until we are all vaccinated, we can get through this, but we’ve got to do it,” said Dr. Jones.
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