#Should vaccinated people mask up with COVID-19 cases rising?

“#Should vaccinated people mask up with COVID-19 cases rising?”

                                    by Carla K. Johnson                                                                                                                    </p><div>
                                    <div class="article-gallery lightGallery">
<div data-thumb="https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/tmb/2021/should-vaccinated-peop.jpg" data-src="https://scx2.b-cdn.net/gfx/news/hires/2021/should-vaccinated-peop.jpg" data-sub-html="Should vaccinated people mask up with COVID-19 cases rising? Credit: AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin">
    <figure class="article-img"><img src="https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/800a/2021/should-vaccinated-peop.jpg" alt="Should vaccinated people mask up with COVID-19 cases rising?" title="Should vaccinated people mask up with COVID-19 cases rising? Credit: AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin" width="800" height="450"/><figcaption class="text-darken text-low-up text-truncate-js text-truncate mt-3">
            Should vaccinated people mask up with COVID-19 cases rising? Credit: AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin
        </figcaption></figure></div>

Should vaccinated people mask up with COVID-19 cases rising?

                                                                            <p>It depends on your situation, but masking in public can provide another layer of protection and help prevent the virus from spreading to others who aren't protected.

An easing of safety precautions and the large number of people who remain unvaccinated in many regions are contributing to the spread of cases around the world.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not changed its advice that fully vaccinated people can safely go without masks in most situations. But Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the agency’s director, said local decisions on mask mandates could vary depending on vaccination levels and whether there’s a surge.

Los Angeles County recently started requiring residents to wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status, for example, and officials in New Orleans are urging people to do the same.

Though COVID-19 vaccines greatly reduce the chance of severe illness and death and remain effective against variants, some experts said wearing a mask is a reasonable precaution since it’s still possible to get infected.

Masking could also help prevent the spread of the virus to children too young for vaccination and people with weak immune systems.

“Personally, I continue to wear a mask when going into public spaces outside of my household, both for my own protection and for the sake of my community,” said virus researcher Angela Rasmussen of the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan.

Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University, said a “belt-and-suspenders” approach also makes sense for people who are older or have health issues and are more vulnerable to getting severely ill if infected.

“I’m pretty healthy, but I do have gray hair. So when I go out to the supermarket, I’m masked,” Schaffner said.

How much should the Delta variant worry you?

                                    <hr class="mb-4"/>

                                                                                                                        <p class="article-main__note mt-4">
                                            © 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.


                                    <!-- print only -->
                                    <div class="d-none d-print-block">

                                             <strong>Citation</strong>:
                                             Should vaccinated people mask up with COVID-19 cases rising? (2021, July 23)
                                             retrieved 23 July 2021
                                             from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-07-vaccinated-people-mask-covid-cases.html


                                        This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
                                        part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

                                    </div>

                                </div><script id="facebook-jssdk" async="" src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js"></script>

If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on Google News too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.