Coronavirus: As more people get vaccine, can you get rid of your face mask? Scientists explain

As the number of vaccinated people increase worldwide and the number of cases of Coronavirus drop, there is a palpable feeling among people to break free from all Covid-19 restrictions including face masks and return to their pre-Covid lives. As the Coronavirus restrictions complete a year this month and the second phase of vaccination set off on March 1, people want to know when they can return to their normal lives, visit malls, tourist places, pubs etcetera without bothering about the deadly virus.

Can a group of people who have been vaccinated enjoy their pre-Covid lives without any Covid-19 restrictions? In other countries also, people have similar questions. Take for instance the United States which has so far vaccinated a total of 50 million of its population, people are wondering if the vaccinated individuals can get rid of the whole lot of Covid19 precautions and restrictions, New York Times reported. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to issue a new set of guidelines for individuals who have been vaccinated.

According to experts, answers to all such questions can only be found when the rate of infections drop to negligible levels and a larger number of people have been vaccinated against the virus. It also remains unclear whether the vaccinated individuals can spread the virus among the unvaccinated. While a majority of the Coronavirus vaccines are proving to be a potent defence against severe illness and infection from the virus, scientists at the present juncture do not know if the virus can use vaccinated individuals for its transmission to non-vaccinated individuals.

Previous instances of vaccines against diseases like flu, rotavirus, polio and pertussis attest to the fact that vaccines can stop the severity of the disease among the vaccinated but can not completely stop the infection. With a number of new Coronavirus variants emerging in different parts of the country, the effectiveness of Coronavirus vaccines in completely ending the pandemic has come under further cloud.

Hence experts have maintained that people(including vaccinated) should not let the guard down until there is more clarity about the rate of infection in their community and the effectiveness of the Covid19 vaccines is substantially established against new variants of Coronavirus as well.