The rate of COVID-19 vaccinations is increasing across California, a hopeful turning point in the pandemic that nevertheless raises a new question: what precautions should those vaccinated take?
Although the vaccines are safe and effective, at this stage it is not a license to abandon all infection prevention protocols altogether, say health officials.
Basic steps such as wearing masks in public and keeping a physical distance from those outside your household will still provide an extra level of safety, experts say, and will help further reduce COVID-19 transmission – which could eventually open up more parts of the economy.
Here are some tips for those who have recently been vaccinated, or are about to get their place in line:
Do I still have to wear a mask even after being vaccinated?
Yes. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention says that continued adherence to public health measures such as wearing face masks, observing physical distance, regular hand washing and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated areas are still recommended, even for someone who has both required vaccine doses.
“It is important for everyone to continue with the tools available to stop this pandemic as we learn more about how COVID-19 vaccines work in real conditions,” says CDC guidance, especially as it is not yet definitively known “COVID-19 vaccine will prevent you from spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 to other people, even if you do not get sick yourself.”
Especially wearing a universal mask is considered critical to keep the spread of the coronavirus in a downward trend. A recent CDC report found that states that imposed mask orders saw a decline in the growth of COVID-19-related hospitalizations.
How do I wear my mask correctly?
The key, federal scientists said in a report released this month is to make the masks fit better.
The use of a loose medical procedure mask or only a cloth mask blocked only about 40% of particles of a simulated cough. But tighter-fitting masks could reduce exposure to potentially infectious particles by more than 90%, the CDC said.
‘Wearing any type of mask performs significantly better than not wearing a mask. And well-fitting masks gave the best performance, ”said dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the CDC, said.
What about double masks?
One way to improve masking is to first put on a paper mask – like a blue surgical mask – and then put on a dense cloth mask, said Barbara Ferrer, director of public health in Los Angeles.
The second mask covers the large gaps that can occur with a paper mask so that air can leak around the sides.
Another option is to use a cloth mask that, according to the CDC, contains multiple layers of material.
What are some other mask tips?
- Using a nose wire – a metal strip on top of a mask that can be shaped to fit the bridge of the nose – can prevent air from leaking from the top.
- Try to ensure that air does not flow from the area near your eyes or from the sides of the mask. “If the mask fits well, you feel warm air coming through the front of the mask and you can see the mask material moving in and out with each breath,” says the CDC.
- If you tie the ruffles to the edge of the mask, and if you fold and insert excess mask material under the edges, it can improve. Look at this video instruction.
- Use only one KN95 mask at a time. CDC officials say that KN95s as well as traditional N95s are meant alone. The addition of extra masks under or on top of it “can not only affect how well it fits in the face and reduce its effectiveness, but can also increase the effort required to breathe through them,” the CDC said in an email to The Times. The CDC proposes do not use N95 masksand they said “must be reserved for health workers and other medical first responders to avoid supply shortages. ”