It’s been over a year since the novel coronavirus turned life on its head. During this difficult period, many of us have gotten sick, endured loved ones getting sick, and lost people we care about to COVID-19. Additionally, in order to limit potential exposure and help curb the spread of the virus, we’ve rethought the way we do everything from going to work to buy groceries. With the highly-anticipated vaccine rollout finally underway, the world has started to breathe a collective sigh of relief. While this is undeniably hopeful news, it’s important to remember that we’re still dealing with an active pandemic. Furthermore, even after receiving your vaccine, you’d be wise to keep your guard up.
They’re Not Yet Fully Vaccinated
Although most of the available COVID-19 vaccines have a high rate of success, they’re not exactly magic wands. Each vaccine variant takes at least two weeks to fully set in, and this is doubly true in the case of the two-dose vaccines – which are the most widely available vaccines in the U.S. For starters, after getting your first dose, you’ll need to wait three to four weeks before receiving the second. Furthermore, even after you’ve got the second shot, you’ll need to wait at least two weeks for your body to sufficiently build immunity. During these wait periods, it’s entirely possible to contract the novel coronavirus, so it’s important to remember that immunity – or rather, 95% immunity – does not come instantly.
To learn more about available vaccines and COVID-19 precautions, get in touch with a seasoned medical professional. Since going to a doctor’s office or medical facility while an active pandemic is underway carrying a certain level of risk, it may be a good idea to explore remote healthcare options, like https://everydaydoctor.com/, if you’re dealing with a non-emergency issue.
The Exact Length of One’s Immunity is Currently Uncertain
Although research data is painting a more detailed picture by the day, there’s not yet a hard-and-fast determination as to how long the immunity people receive from vaccines lasts. While it’s currently looking at the two-dose vaccines that provide immunity for up to six months, it’s still too early to say whether this applies to the vast majority of people who will receive these vaccines. In fact, given how many people COVID-19 has infected and how many variants of the virus are out there, there’s a good chance that regular COVID boosters will be a part of our lives well into the future.
They Don’t Have Full Immunity
At present, the two-dose varieties of COVID-19 vaccine are said to provide 95% immunity, with the one-dose vaccines commonly providing between 66 and 72 percent. This means that while the vaccines will provide you with a solid layer of protection, they do not imbue you with invincibility. If you have 95% immunity against COVID-19, the odds are clearly in your favor. However, as is the case with most vaccines, there are likely to be outlier cases – and in the absence of masking up, social distancing, and other precautions, you may wind up being one of them. To be clear, getting vaccinated should come as a tremendous relief – it just shouldn’t be taken as a sign that you can let your guard down.
They’ll Set a Good Example
Throughout this trying time, people who have refused to wear masks and engage in other common-sense precautionary measures have continually made a bad situation worse. Among other things, this poor behavior has set a bad example for people who are ill-informed or unclear about how seriously the threat of COVID-19 should be taken. Even if your state doesn’t have a mask mandate in effect or the businesses you frequent don’t enforce mask rules or social distancing, it’s in everyone’s best interest that you set a good example of how one should act when faced with a pandemic of this magnitude. By wearing a face mask, practicing good hygiene, and social distance, your example stands to influence the behavior of others and may ultimately save lives.
After a year of uncertainty, there may finally be a light at the end of the tunnel. With more and more Americans receiving the COVID-19 vaccine by the day, many of us are hoping the pandemic created by the novel coronavirus is in its homestretch. While heightened vaccine distribution is certainly a cause for relief, it’s important to remember that the aforementioned pandemic is still ongoing and that we aren’t quite out of the woods yet.
A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.