After Getting COVID Vaccine, Here's Why You Should Still Mask Up

ACROSS AMERICA — Now that coronavirus vaccine is going into the arms of Americans, the question for many is when they can stop wearing masks and visit the elderly relatives they’ve separated themselves from for most of the past year.

The short answer is those who have been vaccinated still need to wear a face mask over their noses and mouths, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises. The agency also recommends continuing to stay at least 6 feet away from others, avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces, and frequent hand-washing to help stop the spread of the coronavirus — even after being vaccinated.

Here’s why, and other things you need to know about how to be safe once you’ve received the vaccine:

Why can’t I stop wearing a mask once I’m vaccinated?

There are a few reasons. First, it takes a few weeks after the vaccination for the body to develop immunity against the coronavirus, so that means it’s possible to get COVID-19 just after getting inoculated against the disease, according to the CDC.

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Second, the coronavirus vaccine is injected deep in the muscles, but it’s unclear how much of the antibody pool that's produced circulates in the blood to a patient’s nasal passages. That’s important because the nostrils are one of the main portals for the spread of the virus. Without a mask, a sneeze or just breathing could unleash the virus.

Experts say that's why vaccines delivered through the nose such as FluMist, or taken orally like the polio vaccine, provide better protection against respiratory viruses than intramuscular injections.

Also, the investigation into how the virus spreads in communities is ongoing, and it is still unclear whether getting the COVID-19 vaccine will prevent people from spreading the coronavirus to other people, even if they don’t get sick themselves.

“It's critical that you continue to wear a mask and social distance when in public or in your home with others that don't live with you — even when you're around others who have been vaccinated,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in President Joe Biden's exclusive op-ed on Patch.

“We must all do our part to protect each other, and as the science matures and we learn more, we will provide information to the public on lessening requirements for people who have been fully vaccinated,” she said.

If I’ve been vaccinated, do I still have to quarantine if I’ve been exposed to COVID-19?

The CDC recently released updated guidance on quarantine protocols for people who have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Those who are fully vaccinated are not required to quarantine if they are more than two weeks out from having received the second dose of a two-dose vaccine, or one dose of a single-dose vaccine; if they are within three months following the last dose in the series; and if they have remained asymptomatic since their exposure to COVID-19.

If they do not meet all of the above criteria, they should still follow quarantine procedures, the CDC recommends.

Can I visit my elderly relatives once we've all been vaccinated?

People 65 and older make up about 80 percent of COVID-19-related deaths in the United States, according to CDC data.

Because of the vulnerability of this population, experts advise encouraging elderly relatives to get vaccinated and not visiting with family members until all members have been vaccinated. Even after receiving the vaccine, visits should still include face masks and social distancing, until more information on community spread is available.