Four Reasons We Need to Wear Masks After Being Vaccinated

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If you’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19, you might feel like you can do away with the face mask and face shield that have become our constant companions over the past 12+ months. However, wearing protective equipment after vaccination is still just as important as ever. Here’s why:

1. There simply aren’t enough people who are vaccinated yet. While there are several variables that will need to be evaluated before we can relax our safety precautions, the number of vaccinated Americans is currently too low to offer enough protection from the vaccine alone and could take several months. We will watch the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or further guidance about protective equipment and vaccinations.

2. We don’t yet know if vaccination stops asymptomatic spread. While clinical trials indicate that COVID-19 vaccines, like Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, are about 95% effective at preventing symptoms of COVID-19 in the vaccine recipient, we do not yet know how well they will help stop the spread of the virus. Keeping up our safety standards protects ourselves and others until we have more data on the full effectiveness of the vaccine.

3. We also know that the virus is evolving, and there is some early indication that the current vaccines may not be fully protective for the new variants. This means it is critical that we do everything we can to try to reduce the numbers of COVID cases—both by vaccinating people as quickly as possible and by using the tried-and-true protective measures to reduce the evolution and spread of new variants.

4. We must continue to be role models for our community. It will not be visible from the outside who has and who has not received the vaccine. We must continue to model good safety behaviors, like wearing a mask and keeping our distance, until enough individuals have been vaccinated across the United States and until new infection rates have decreased.

Please keep in mind immunity is not achieved immediately after receiving the vaccine. It also will take time for everyone who wants to be vaccinated to receive the required doses. In the meantime, we can continue to protect ourselves and each other by wearing a mask, maintaining physical distance from others, washing our hands frequently, and avoiding indoor gatherings with others outside our household

IL Medical Supply also offers Personal Protective Equipment. From health supplements to medical-grade cleaning supplies, IL Medical Supply has been striving to serve the local community with products that are from trusted suppliers and are durable, easy-to-use and cost-effective.

Learn more about them on their website (www.ilmedicalsupply.com). IL Medical Supply also has a very active Facebook page that allows community interaction with daily posts and updates ranging from Covid-19 information, to daily health tips, to local events involving public health. They are here to serve and support McHenry & Kane Counties and surrounding areas.

IL Medical Supply has regular business hours of 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday-Friday and can be reached at (312)-722-6940 for any questions regarding Covid testing, medical lab testing services or medical supplies purchasing information. Visit them at 1110 N Main St in Algonquin for lab testing or medical supply pickups.

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