Scheduled for COVID-19 Vaccine? Here’s What To Do Before Your Appointment
Stick to the same safety measures to fight off COVID-19
Even if you get your first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, don’t do your victory dance just yet. You’re still not out of harm’s way…or, should I say, out of coronavirus’ way. That’s because it will take about 14 days after you receive the second dose to develop full immunity against reinfection.
So, yes, you will still have to wear a mask even after getting the COVID-19 vaccine, stay away from large gatherings and wash your hands constantly. I’ve explained things better and in greater detail in this post.
“We don’t yet know whether you can be a carrier for COVID-19 after you’ve been vaccinated,” says Allison Weinmann, M.D., an infectious disease specialist with Henry Ford Health System. “And we don’t know who has been vaccinated and who hasn’t. The vaccine is 95% effective, which is very good, but that means there’s still a 5% chance you could get it, so it’s very important to continue masking, social distancing and practicing hand hygiene.”
According to health officials, only after at least 70 percent of the population has been inoculated, we can achieve herd immunity and bring the virus to a halt. “The sooner most of us are vaccinated, the sooner this pandemic will be resolved,” says Dr. Weinmann.
