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The United States is moving closer to herd immunity almost two months after the launch of the COVID-19 vaccine, with more than one million Americans vaccinated per day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But with a large portion of the population still waiting to get vaccinated and questions about the asymptomatic spread, Americans with immunity are asking: is it safe to leave home and live a pre-pandemic lifestyle?
Not yet, say the experts.
Getting the vaccine is not a ‘free pass’ to ‘put aside all public health measures’ officials have been repeating since the start of the pandemic, Dr Anthony Fauci said at a CNN town hall in January .
“We don’t want people to think that just because they are vaccinated other public health recommendations just don’t apply,” said the country’s leading infectious disease specialist.
But, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Each vaccination brings the United States one step closer to herd immunity and one step closer to easing restrictions and getting back to normal, health experts say. Until then, social gatherings and travel without protective measures could compromise how quickly this can happen.
What the data say about the COVID vaccine, social gatherings and travel
Data shows that small gatherings promote transmission, as people tend to relax safety precautions – such as masking and social distancing – around close friends and family, said Dr Wafaa El-Sadr , professor of epidemiology and medicine at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.
Even when a person is vaccinated, it takes up to two weeks to achieve maximum immunity, and no vaccine offers complete protection.
Recent data also shows that COVID-19 vaccines may be less effective against newer coronavirus variants, especially those originating in South Africa. On Wednesday, the United States reported 932 cases of the British variant and nine cases of the South African variant, according to CDC data. The agency said the UK variant, called B.1.1.7, could become the dominant strain by March.
Colleges across the United States have canceled spring break to discourage students from traveling after celebrations around the same time last year led to a summer surge in coronavirus infections.
Traveling is one of the fastest ways to spread the coronavirus, experts say, and sadly we still don’t know if the COVID-19 vaccine protects against transmission.
While studies show that vaccines are effective against symptomatic illnesses, researchers are still learning its impact on asymptomatic infection. For this reason, health officials warn against non-essential travel even after being vaccinated.
“You can in theory be infected, have no symptoms, and still have the virus in your nasal pharynx,” Fauci told town hall. It is possible that by carrying this virus, someone could pass it on to other travelers, family or friends.
“We are in a race between vaccines and a race with the virus, and this is a point in time where there are a lot of unknowns,” El-Sadr said.
How can I safely attend social gatherings after getting the vaccine?
While some states have already started lifting COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants, weddings and even indoor entertainment, health experts say it’s too early to attend social gatherings without protection.
After a year of pandemic restrictions, Americans can’t wait to get out of their homes, El-Sadr said. But she urges Americans to continue to hide and socially distance.
“Whatever you do the day before your vaccination, you continue to do it the day after your vaccination,” El-Sadr said.
If people are to get together, they should minimize the risks by being outdoors, wearing a mask and social distancing, said Dr Sarita Shah, associate professor in the department of global health, epidemiology and disease. infectious diseases from Emory University.
“We can get together in these small groups using these security measures that we all know work,” she said.
Double masking: Protect yourself from COVID variants
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While receiving the COVID-19 vaccine doesn’t mean a sudden return to pre-pandemic methods, it could mean less anxiety and more individual freedoms.
Experts disagree on the exact freedom, but Dr. Vinay Prasad, associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California at San Francisco, argues that there is little risk in eating with it. a friend vaccinated indoors or hugging fully immunized grandparents.
Nothing in this world carries a 0% risk, he adds, but one can significantly reduce the risk by getting vaccinated. After that, it is up to the individual to assess their own risk tolerance.
“No one pursues a risk-free life. In fact, it’s a mirage, ”Prasad said in an op-ed on Medpage Today. “Instead, we all want reasonable security.”
How to travel safely?
Spring travel can be possible if it is done safely and travelers are aware of where they are going and who they are seeing. People should avoid traveling to an area where infections are on the increase and visiting loved ones who are vulnerable to serious illness and not vaccinated.
President Joe Biden signed an executive order during his first days in office requiring masks on flights, trains and buses. The Transportation Security Administration announced last week that it would recommend fines ranging from $ 250 to $ 1,500 for those who violate the new transport mask order.
The CDC on Wednesday issued guidelines recommending wearing a surgical mask under a fabric mask or tying surgical masks to prevent air from seeping in from the sides.
Double masking: Protect yourself from COVID variants
Shah doesn’t expect coronavirus cases to increase dramatically like he did after the holidays, as more Americans will be vaccinated and the warmer weather will hopefully push people to hold rallies in outside.
“On Memorial Day we’re going to have a different scenario,” she said. “The first and best thing is that it’s hotter and people will be outside. This greatly reduces the risk. “
When will things get back to normal?
The Biden administration is on track to deliver 100 million doses of vaccine in 100 days. But even after achieving that goal, the United States will still be a long way from achieving collective immunity, said CDC director Rochelle Walensky.
“It’s going to take a while for us to feel back to a sense of normalcy,” she said during CNN’s mayoralty. “After we vaccinate 100 million Americans, we will have 200 million more to vaccinate.”
The vaccination schedule in the United States is constantly fluctuating as vaccine distribution strategies change and the federal government works to get more doses, experts say. From now on, Americans can expect some normalcy in late summer or early fall.
But health experts point out that this timeline could change for better or worse, and plead with Americans to be flexible and patient.
“At this point, we still have so many questions and we have such low coverage with these vaccines,” El-Sadr said. “I urge everyone to continue to be as careful as they have been for their own protection and that of those close to them.”
Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT.
Patient health and safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Healthcare. The Masimo Foundation does not provide any editorial contribution.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID Vaccine: Can I See Friends, Family After Getting Vaccinated?
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