While these developments mark a historic moment and are promising, that does not mean that Americans can stop wearing masks anytime soon. CNN medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and visiting professor at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University, explains why.
CNN: Does the vaccine protect people against COVID-19? If so, why do I still have to wear a mask?
Wen: That’s a good question! It is important to make clear what we know and what we don’t know about what the vaccine does. What we do know is that the Pfizer vaccine is very effective in preventing symptomatic and serious illnesses. This means that the vaccine seems to prevent people from getting sick enough to develop symptoms and, more importantly, it prevents people from getting so seriously ill that they end up in the hospital. This is really great news.
Here’s what the studies still don’t show. They have not analyzed whether the vaccine prevents someone from carrying COVID-19 and passing it on to others. It is possible that someone gets the vaccine, but is still an asymptomatic carrier. They may have no symptoms, but they have the virus in their nasal passage so that if they are talking, breathing, sneezing and so on, they can still pass it on to others.
This is the main reason why we cannot stop wearing masks right after we get the vaccine. The vaccine will protect you from getting sick and ending up in hospital. But it is possible that you still carry the virus and it is contagious to other people. Therefore, those who get the vaccine must still wear a mask and practice physical distance.
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CNN: Does this mean that we will need to wear masks in public from now on?
Wen: No, not forever, but for some time. It is estimated that about 70% of Americans must be vaccinated before we obtain collective immunity through vaccination. It is at this point that a sufficient number of people have immune protection so that the virus can no longer spread.
This means that about 230 million Americans must receive the vaccine. It will take time to produce so many vaccines – and remember that Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are two-dose vaccines, so you need to double the number of doses people have. Then the vaccine must be distributed and actually administered to people. If all goes well, the best estimates are that it will be late spring or early summer for most Americans to get the vaccine. At that point, we could probably see ourselves without masks – but not before.
CNN: Can this timeline be accelerated?
Wen: Already, vaccine development has advanced with incredible speed. The fastest that a vaccine was developed before this pandemic was four years. We now have a vaccine authorized in less than a year.
How quickly we achieve herd immunity will depend on production, distribution and the willingness of the American people to receive the vaccine. There is a concern that many Americans may not get the vaccine, even if it is available. We need to have a careful public education campaign that is adapted to different communities.
And we need everyone’s help! When your turn comes, please get the vaccine. Help spread the word and convince your family and friends about the importance of the vaccine to save lives and end this pandemic.
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CNN: What about people who can’t get the vaccine? Do they need to continue wearing masks?
Wen: For now, everyone needs to keep wearing masks. There will be a small number of individuals who will not be able to receive vaccines. In the beginning, children cannot get the vaccine because it has not yet been tested in children. It is also possible that some medical conditions make certain people unable to get the vaccine or that the vaccine is less effective for them. That is why the rest of us have to be vaccinated, to protect them. Herd immunity is also called community immunity: the community is being vaccinated to protect everyone.
That’s also why we keep wearing masks. We do this to protect ourselves and to protect others. Remember that even after we get the vaccine, we can spread the virus to others. In addition, the vaccine is very effective, but it is not 100%. The mask also protects you.
CNN: Would you still be wearing the mask after getting the vaccine?
Wen: Yes. I will do this to protect others and to protect myself as well. This is another way of thinking about the importance of wearing masks. The vaccine protects you if the virus hits your nose and mouth. Your body detects the virus, and instead of the virus attacking your body, your body’s immune system kicks in and gets rid of the virus.
It is very important to prevent the virus from reaching your body in the first place. Wearing a mask does this. The same is true with physical distance. These are really important measures to prevent the coronavirus and pass it on to others.
You will certainly see mask use among healthcare professionals, who will be among the first groups to receive the vaccine. The vaccine is an important layer of protection for us, but we will use these other measures to protect ourselves and the people around us.
CNN: With the number of COVID cases on the rise in the US, the vaccine could not arrive anytime soon. With only a small percentage of the US population getting the vaccine to start, however, it seems that most people will not directly benefit from the benefits of this first implementation, right?
Wen: Absolutely. It is really surprising to have a vaccine that appears to be 95% effective and very safe. We will be able to end the pandemic. But it will take time. The initial quota for vaccines will reach just over 1% of the population. It will take some time to climb until it reaches 70%.
We need everyone to follow the precautions that we talk about all the time: wear a mask. Keep the physical distance. Avoid internal meetings. Wash the hands.
I’ll add one more: get the vaccine when it’s your turn. We can overcome this winter, and spring and summer are very promising.
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