Yes, a COVID-19 vaccine is already available and it is now being given to thousands of people, particularly in the United Kingdom. But wait, if you are thinking that it is a free pass to pursuing pre-pandemic activities then you might want to think again.
Receiving the vaccine does not necessarily mean that everything goes back to the old normal. A previous report from Science Times said that even with an available vaccine today, wearing face masks and social distancing is still a must because it is still unclear if these vaccines can protect its recipients from spreading the virus to other people.
Besides, receiving the vaccine does not mean that the recipients will automatically be protected. But vaccinated people can make plans for 2021, unlike those unvaccinated individuals.
An article from Business Insider has enumerated the list of what vaccinated people can or can not do after receiving the shots.
Make Plans But Follow Health Protocols
According to the projection of some experts, the old normal people had before the pandemic hit might resume in spring 2021, especially when more and more people can get vaccinated because they will be more confident in making plans.
However, planning a maskless event may be tricky because it will depend on how people could remain careful during the rollout of vaccines and how many of them are willing to get vaccinated. America's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci said that the country has to vaccinate between 75%-80% of its citizens to"crush" the virus.
Undoubtedly, life will not be 100% the same until the entire human population achieves this level of herd immunity. That being said, wearing face masks and keeping a physical distance is still recommended.
Moreover, it will be a bad idea to immediately attend an event or party just after getting vaccinated. Doctors said that the vaccine only reaches its full efficacy, at around 95%, after getting the second dose which happens three to four weeks after the first dose is given. Therefore, it is imperative to still follow the health protocols in place.
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Care for a COVID-19-Positive Family Member or Friend
Among the first people who received the vaccine were the healthcare workers because they need to be protected when caring for COVID-19 patients. In the same principle, those vaccinated people can now take care of their family member or friend with COVID-19.
The vaccinated person is in a good position to bring food, drinks, check the temperature, and become the company of the COVID-19 patients in their household. Vaccinated people have a lesser chance of getting infected, especially if they continue following health protocols.
Start Feeling a Sense of Relief
As long as the person has the required two doses of vaccines, and waits for one to two weeks for it to fully reach its efficacy then the vaccinated person can now start feeling a sense of relief. They will no longer have to do all the mental gymnastics if they have become exposed to many people.
Hopefully, the time will come that mask usage will fade. On the other hand, the face mask-wearing culture has also been good to those immunocompromised or those susceptible to viruses because they are more protected.
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Check out more news and information on COVID-19 in Science Times.
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