COVID-19: Masks still necessary despite being vaccinated, here is why

With vaccination initiated against the novel Coronavirus by Pfizer, it turns out that the company’s vaccine along with that by Moderna have been remarkably good when it comes to preventing serious illness. However, it is not clear as to how they will prevent Coronavirus transmission among people. A report by The IE noted that the vaccines by these companies have tracked how many people vaccinated people can get sick from the viral infection. This implies that vaccinated people may get infection and while they may not get sick due to vaccines but they can silently transmit the virus. Therefore, it is advisable to wear masks even after getting vaccinated.

It is likely that vaccinated people (if they become silent spreaders), they may put others who have been vaccinated in a community at risk. Citing Michal Tal, an immunologist at Stanford University, the report said that many are in belief that if they get the vaccination for COVID-19 infection, they will not need to wear a mask. Tal said that it is quite crucial that they keep wearing a mask as they could be contagious. The report explained that during a respiratory infection including the coronavirus, has a nose as its main port of entry. From here, the virus multiplies further giving a jolt to the immune system. The body’s immune system then produces a type of antibodies that are specific to the moist tissue lining present in the mouth, nose, lungs and stomach. So, if and when the same person comes in contact with the virus again, these antibodies produced shut down the virus in the nose only before it spreads to the body.

When a person is vaccinated, the injections are given deep in muscles that are then absorbed in blood. This further stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies and prevents the person further from getting ill. In some cases, while the virus may not be able to infect the whole body but it is likely that it can remain in the nasal cavity, spreading when a person sneezes or coughs. This can infect others as well.

Discussing the problem, Marion Pepper, an immunologist at the University of Washington in Seattle said that mucosal vaccines including nasal spray FluMist or the oral polio vaccine are likely to be better than the vaccines that require intramuscular injections.