The current launch of highly effective COVID vaccines is expected to end the coronavirus pandemic. But until sufficient doses have been administered to the public to prevent the spread of COVID, medical experts warn that those who were lucky enough to receive their injections early should not return to living a “normal” life immediately. That includes Anthony Fauci, MD, White House chief medical advisor, who says using immunity as an excuse to travel or abandoning health precautions after being vaccinated is a big mistake. Read on to see why you will need to wait a little longer after the injection to get back to normal and for more information on how to prepare yourself best for your injections, see The 2 things you need to do before you get vaccinated, study says.
During a virtual city hall on January 27 presented by CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Sanjay Gupta, MD, Fauci answered a question sent by viewers about how long it would take for family members to visit each other safely after being immunized. He emphasized that “being vaccinated does not mean that you now have a free pass to travel, nor does it say that you have a free pass to set aside all public health measures that we talk about all the time.” And to find out more about vaccines, find out why, if you’re over 65, you shouldn’t get this new vaccine, experts warn.
Fauci went on to explain that COVID mRNA vaccines do not immediately give full protection against COVID to those who received them. “You can get some degree of protection 10 days after the first dose, but you can’t count on it,” said Fauci. “Maximum immunity starts about 10 days and beyond after the second dose. That goes for anyone, whether they want to travel or not.”
But even though everyone being fully vaccinated “would give you as a group 94 to 95 percent effectiveness,” he still advises against taking the road now. “The situation does not change: traveling is not a good idea, period.” And to learn more about what you can expect after inoculation, Dr. Fauci says he had these side effects from his second dose of vaccine.
Fauci explained that he was not only warning against boarding planes: it is also important that vaccinated individuals follow all other daily precautions recommended by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “We don’t want people to think that because they were vaccinated, other public health recommendations just don’t apply,” he said. “One of the biggest things that is not well understood is: ‘Why should I wear a mask? [after getting vaccinated]? ‘”
Fauci explained that there is still no conclusive data on whether those who have been vaccinated can still pass COVID on to others. “It is possible that you will be infected, have no symptoms and still have viruses in your nasal pharynx, which means that you would have to wear a mask to prevent it from infecting another person, as well as the other side of the coin, where you may not be fully protected, “he said. And for more regular COVID updates, subscribe to our daily newsletter.
The advice not to travel is also echoing outside the medical community. This week, the U.S. Department of State asked American citizens not to travel abroad as new test requirements for passengers arriving in the U.S. by plane are taking effect. The new guidelines require international travelers to provide a negative test result within three days of their flight. According to the president Joe Biden’s administration, this is an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 and the highly contagious variants that have developed in countries such as the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa.
“The State Department is committed to helping American citizens abroad who are in dire situations, but that assistance is likely to be limited,” Ian Brownlee, The acting assistant secretary of the US Department of State’s Department of Consular Affairs said during a press conference on January 26. “Our main message for American citizens who are considering traveling abroad remains the same: seriously reconsider going abroad now. If you are abroad now, it will be more difficult to return home for a while. So be informed and prepared.” And to learn more about where things are getting worse in the United States, find out how bad the COVID outbreak is in your state.