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The head of the National Institutes of Health said on Sunday that new federal guidelines encouraging Americans in COVID-19 hotspots to hide indoors were “primarily to protect the unvaccinated.”
NIH Director Dr Francis Collins said such mask warrants can help stop the spread of the virus in communities struggling with the recent outbreak of infections caused by the Delta variant.
“It’s mainly about protecting the unvaccinated – that’s where the real serious disease risks lie,” Collins told CNN presenter Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.” “If you are vaccinated right now, your likelihood of getting seriously ill is 25 times reduced. “
Although vaccines are highly protective against severe cases, Collins warned that studies show that people with immunity can still pass the virus on to others, including immunocompromised children and young children.
People with weakened immune systems can still be very vulnerable to coronavirus even after vaccination, experts say.
“People who have been vaccinated are able to contract the virus from their nose and throat, and they appear to have levels of the virus high enough to be contagious,” Collins said.
“And so the reason, if you’re in a community where this virus is spreading, which makes up about 75 percent of counties right now, it’s safe to put on a mask, even if you’re vaccinated, just in case you could. to be someone who is currently spreading it.
Collins said it was “good” that some companies require their employees and customers to show proof of vaccination.
“As a public health person who wants to see this pandemic end, yes I think anything we could do to encourage people who are reluctant to get vaccinated because they don’t want to be a part of these public events, that’s a good thing, ”Collins said.
Collins questioned Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ executive order banning mask warrants in state public schools.
“I didn’t understand the ban, and it certainly sounds like something local officials want to be able to decide based on the circumstances of their community,” Collins said.
In another interview on Sunday, Collins acknowledged that people are “frustrated” with the current COVID-19 crisis, but said masks in schools could help end the pandemic.
The Pfizer vaccine is currently the only one available in the United States for children aged 12 to 17. There is currently no vaccine on the market for younger people.
“Delta is as contagious as we know it now, and we want to try to stop what is a very big rise right now,” he told “Fox News Sunday”.
“Wearing masks, if you are under 12 and cannot be vaccinated, when you are [in] school is a really smart thing to do.
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