CDC guidelines say anyone who’s fully vaccinated, meaning it’s been two weeks since your second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or single Johnson & Johnson shot, can resume their normal activities without wearing masks or social distancing. You still need to follow local laws and rules that individual businesses put in place, though. Still, you should tailor the regulations to your own specific needs, says Dr. Purvi Parikh, MD, immunologist and a member of Physicians for Patient Protection, a nonprofit advocating for physician-led care and transparency in the health care system. “Some people may still wear masks if they are high risk or immunocompromised or in an area where they do not know the vaccination status of those around them,” she says. “Also, masks are still required or recommended in some settings such as public transport, hospitals, health care settings, nursing homes, prisons and schools where children may not yet be vaccinated.” If you’ve gotten your vaccine but are still worried about going without a mask, you’re not alone. Parade.com asked medical experts to weigh in on whether it’s actually safe to go mask-less if you’ve been vaccinated.
Why people worry about forgoing their masks
COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Studies show they reduce severe illness, hospitalizations, and deaths from the virus, though they’re not 100% effective. While scientists are still learning how well the vaccines prevent people from spreading the virus, early research shows they help asymptomatic people from infecting others. Still, some people are fearful of going maskless, says Dr. David Edwards, a longstanding Harvard professor and founder of FEND, a tool that improves airway hygiene. One reason is the potential for breakthrough infections, which occur when a vaccinated person contracts the virus—but, this is rare. Another worry, he says, is that new variants of the virus keep popping up. Though so far, the current vaccines are effective against these variants. “Beyond this, there are fears that not everyone is getting vaccinated, and in most settings, there is no way to know who has been protected,” Dr. Edwards says. “We may be entering environments where there is significant viral presence in the air. If there is a risk of post-vaccination infection, however small that risk, it grows with greater viral presence in the air.” Scientists also aren’t sure how long the vaccine provides immunity and whether a booster shot will be needed, he adds. So, masks can be “immunity gap closers,” or at least provide some level of reassurance. Wearing a mask, or not, after getting vaccinated is ultimately a personal choice, Dr. Parikh says. “I think it’s a personal decision and a personal risk assessment based on one’s own comfort level and discussions with their physicians,” she adds. “I do not fault anyone for wearing one, and it should not bother others.”
When should you wear a mask?
Masks should still be worn in health care settings, on public transportation, such as buses, planes, and in airports, in indoor educational settings, correctional facilities, and homeless centers, per the CDC. People who are immunocompromised, such as cancer patients or others who take immunosuppressant drugs, should continue to wear masks because they may not be as protected against the virus even after vaccination, says Dr. Randy Taplitz, MD, chair of City of Hope Department of Medicine. “For those who have health conditions that put them at higher risk for having a worse outcome with COVID-19, or those who wish to be cautious, it’s very reasonable to continue wearing a mask,” she adds. If the vaccination rate in your area is low, Dr. Taplitz says you might want to continue wearing a mask in public, especially in crowded, indoor spaces and settings where many other people are unmasked. “Continuing to wear a mask will decrease the chance that you will experience a breakthrough infection,” she says.
What about kids?
Anyone who hasn’t received their COVID-19 vaccine should still wear a mask indoors, and that goes for children, too, Taplitz says. So far, only kids 12 and older are eligible to get vaccinated. “Although the risk of severe disease and illness is fairly low in this age group, kids can still get sick and transmit infection,” Taplitz says. It “seems reasonable” for parents to wear masks so their children will want to wear theirs and to encourage friends and family to get vaccinated. “The safest route to not wearing a mask is to vaccinate most of the population,” she emphasizes.
How to feel more comfortable going mask-free
Having anxiety about not wearing masks is understandable, Dr. Parikh says, and it’s OK to keep wearing one if that makes you feel comfortable. “Take baby steps in what feels comfortable to you,” she says. That being said, you can rest assured that there’s enough data surrounding the effectiveness of vaccines to help vaccinated people feel more comfortable not wearing a face covering, Dr. Taplitz emphasizes. Still, the choice is yours based on your own risk and as long as you’re following local or private business guidelines, Edwards says. “I believe that the wearing of masks will be a feature of the post-pandemic future—they were a fixture of many cultures, pre-pandemic,” he adds. “Many post-pandemic will be more sensitive to personal hygiene than prior to the pandemic.” Next, read about what we know about whether you’ll need a COVID-19 booster shot.
Sources
Dr. David Edwards, longstanding Harvard professor, founder of FENDDr. Purvi Parikh, MD, immunologist, member of Physicians for Patient ProtectionDr. Randy Taplitz, MD, chair, City of Hope Department of MedicineCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): COVID-19 Vaccinations in the United StatesCDC: Key Things to Know about COVID-19 Vaccines CDC: COVID-19 Vaccines Work NPR: Fully Vaccinated People Can Stop Wearing Masks Indoors And Outdoors, CDC SaysNBC News: Breakthrough infections after Covid vaccination are rare, CDC says
