Do vaccinated people need to go back to masking?

The latest data (taken from up to July 17 and released yesterday) from Israel, says that the Pfizer vaccine (double dose) has an efficacy of just 39% against Delta transmission.

Israel was one of the earliest and most widespread vaccinated countries, and Pfizer made up most vaccinations.

Though they also note that its 91% effective in preventing hospitalizations.

However this Israel data contradicts results from the US and UK, where results against Delta are way better (85-90+%).

There are several factors possible for the Israel results, one of which being that since they vaccinated earlier it could be that the vaccine is already wearing off.

Pfizer already intends to offer booster shots, though here I sit in Japan still unable to get my first shot (though in the mail the other day I got a letter saying it'd be possible in either October or November.)

The vaccines impede the severity and spread of Covid, but you can still catch it and spread it, and there are risks from Long Covid. So it is wise to wear a mask and maintain some personal space for a bit yet, where you can.

Rising case numbers become less of a problem once the vaccination figures are high. Hospital numbers and deaths then become the stats to be watched.

The whole point of being vaccinated is to downgrade the severity of Covid to something we can live with. That seems to be happening. That will involve deaths, just as flu kills people each year, even though we take flu jabs.

It is important, as this takes place, that we start to lose the fear. We have always lived, worked, partied and travelled despite there being a lot of viruses out there, many of which can kill us. It will soon be time to add Covid to the list of things we simply cope with. We are getting there.

A 'zero Covid' policy makes no more sense than a 'zero flu' policy. Get vaccinated. It is important that vaccinations become a global norm asap.

Adopting Japanese-style mask wearing in the winter when there are flu bugs about, is worth adopting as a social norm. That might be one good thing that emerges from Covid. Flu kills too. It is not 'brave' to struggle into work with it. Wear a mask to reduce the chances of getting it (or spreading it), and perhaps we can bump down flu deaths and general misery each winter, going forward.

If they experience mild or no symptoms because of the vaccine they actually become a greater threat to society because they'll be out and about spreading the virus instead of self isolating.

Personal assumptions based on nothing are not a replacement for actual scientific data, and without it your conclusions are simply not valid, vaccines do reduce importantly rates of infection and transmission, so you would need to demonstrate that changes in activity increase these risks more than the vaccine reduces them.

So, do you have this data?

Masks are nonsense. The virus is small enough to go through and around masks.

Fortunately you are completely wrong, viruses do not go around floating by themselves, so mask pores do not need to be smaller than them, only smaller than the droplets of liquid that contain them, search around there are lot of information that can help you with these misconceptions you have.

Do vaccinated people need to go back to masking?

Is your body organic? If the answer is "yes" then it means you can still carry and spread the virus.

Many more people (especially the younger folks) are turning up in hospitals with covid and also begging doctors to give them the vacs. But they're told it's too late at that stage. These patients are mostly people who don't care about vacs until it's too late. Some have said they wished they'd taken it, and then die.

There comes a point where you just don't care about these people anymore.

I will still continue to wear my mask after getting the vacs until it's not needed.

Do vaccinated people need to go back to masking?

I guess, We’ll let you know when we are actually finally fully vaxxed in Japan.

You don't 'go back' to masking, coz you never left it.

You simply get the shots as a plus item; nothing else changes at all.

You stay masked for added filtering until the health authorities worldwide get a handle on this thing. Every government in the world is trying this and that approach to protect their people, often changing track if things do not seem to be working. I like to think we are all headed generally in the right direction, even if the going is still slow and wobbly.

Nothing political about it. You are either helping this thing spread, or you are actively trying to slow it down.

I'm double vaxxed, and I still wear a mask.

The vaccine is to protect me. The mask is to protect those around me.

Anyone not willing to put on a mask to help protect those people around them is a pretty useless member of society.

Unfortunately in America, that seems to be the norm. People act as if putting a mask on is like being sent to a concentration camp. All cause Trump politicized masks, and Americans were stupid enough to think anything he said was worth listening to.

@GBR48

Very wise words except for the medical advice. Folks should listen to their doctor before agreeing to any medical procedure. Especially one that is experimental.

It is now apparent that masking regulations and social distancing should never have been relaxed.

Even with the rising numbers of delta variant cases, many are lax even when masks are required.

For example, the United States team at the Opening Ceremony; many had noses uncovered during the March , and afterward many were seen removing masks while crowded around others. The Olympic Committee needs to get tough and send home athletes who do not respect Covid protocols.

Indeed, I wonder why that high percentage only applies to the US...

What makes you think it applies only to the US?

One thing I don't like about the constant mask wearing is that it reduces the normal exposure of our immune system to the pathogens and other antigens around us. Our immune system should be regularly challenged.

There is absolutely no evidence that points to this mechanism having any detectable negative effect on the health, on the other hand it greatly reduces the risk from respiratory infections, specially COVID, spreading and causing serious public health problems. Giving exaggerated importance to imaginary dangers while invalidly trying to ignore serious risks is not a valid way to make conclusions.

Guess we should all give up and triple mask, disinfect everything we come in contact with, and live the rest of our lives in fear. Come on guys!

In years past before this pandemic I would sort of giggle when I saw Asians out in public wearing face masks. Now I will be one of them and could not care less what anyone else thinks about it.

I don't think people will ever wonder why Asians wear masks in public anymore. At least, not until the memory of this pandemic has died out, like memory of the last one did before this pandemic.

I don't think I will wear a mask in general, but I will start wearing one when I have a cold or am sick. I never used to do that, but the pandemic has taught anyone willing to learn, that it's selfish to not consider the health of the public when one is ill.

Maybe you should closely re-examine your “understanding “ by looking at cases in countries like Israel, the UK, and others.

The article is about the US, and this claim has been widely reported as correct.

https://www.npr.org/2021/07/16/1017012853/97-of-people-entering-hospitals-for-covid-19-are-unvaccinated

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/statistics-show-risks-vaccinated-covid-19/story?id=78845627

https://www.kptv.com/97-of-covid-19-hospitalizations-and-99-5-of-covid-19-deaths-are-of-the/article_cd04d478-e178-57ee-9797-6d0bc444f9b4.html

That would mean it is you who is incorrect, and easily proved so.

If you bothered reading the posts (by me and others) you "refute" you would have noticed that other countries have much lower percentages.

That is not the same as "only the US" as you claimed, for that you would need to present a source that actually says there is no other place where similar data has been found, with at least some minimal epidemiological treatment of the data, it makes for example no sense to think you would find unvaccinated hospitalizations in places where almost all the population has been already vaccinated.

It's basic immunology. No need to reinvent the wheel and carry out RCTs every time a new virus appears.

No it is not, this claim requires proof, specially because you have no experience with immunology and have made plenty of erroneous comments related to it (such as expecting non-neutralizing antibodies to have any role neutralizing a viral infection). The fact is that there is no data that even indicate use of mask has any detectable importance in the normal functioning of the immune response, the same as many other hygienic measures like hand washing (do you also believe that lowers your immunity?).

If you can't bring a source that proves this your only other option is to accept this is your personal belief, and that it is more likely to be mistaken, the same as many others you comment.

I haven't had a cold or flu in a year and a half so I will probably continue disinfecting and wearing double surgical masks when out in public areas and especially when using any form of public transportation for the foreseeable future. In years past before this pandemic I would sort of giggle when I saw Asians out in public wearing face masks. Now I will be one of them and could not care less what anyone else thinks about it.

My understanding is that around 97% of the people getting hospitalized for Covid did not get vaccinated. That is a very significant statistic.

Those who are vaccinated might get a mild illness, and might transmit the virus to the unvaccinated, but the fact remains that if enough people were vaccinated, the Covid pandemic would be in the rearview mirror.

If the ignorant had also refused to get their doses for the poliovirus, that disease would also be a worldwide pandemic.

I would think you could tell the majority of vaccinated people to do just about anything.

Why stop at masks only?

My understanding is that around 97% of the people getting hospitalized for Covid did not get vaccinated. That is a very significant statistic.

Maybe you should closely re-examine your “understanding “ by looking at cases in countries like Israel, the UK, and others.

Especially if your relying on a “significant statistic” that is incorrect.

My understanding is that around 97% of the people getting hospitalized for Covid did not get vaccinated. That is a very significant statistic.

Maybe you should closely re-examine your “understanding “ by looking at cases in countries like Israel, the UK, and others.

Indeed, I wonder why that high percentage only applies to the US...

One thing I don't like about the constant mask wearing is that it reduces the normal exposure of our immune system to the pathogens and other antigens around us. Our immune system should be regularly challenged.

Indeed, I wonder why that high percentage only applies to the US...

What makes you think it applies only to the US?

If you bothered reading the posts (by me and others) you "refute" you would have noticed that other countries have much lower percentages.

One thing I don't like about the constant mask wearing is that it reduces the normal exposure of our immune system to the pathogens and other antigens around us. Our immune system should be regularly challenged.

There is absolutely no evidence that points to this mechanism having any detectable negative effect on the health,

It's basic immunology. No need to reinvent the wheel and carry out RCTs every time a new virus appears.

Alabama [Republican] governor says ‘it’s time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks’ as pandemic worsens

(New source)

Thanks Trump Anti vaxers

By the way Trump people, I'm looking forward to more cabin space on my flights since airlines will require vaccine passports. Enjoy being stuck in the same place all the time!!

The New York Times reported the case of an osteopathic physician in Cape Coral, Florida, who they say is the number one provider of pandemic disinformation in the United States. He has amassed a personal fortune of over $100 million through his prolific click-bait campaign on social media. To this so-called doctor, making money by telling lies is more important than saving lives.

Burning BushJuly 24  06:12 am JST

people should consider factors like community transmission, 

Vaccinated people can still catch and spread Covid.

If they experience mild or no symptoms because of the vaccine they actually become a greater threat to society because they'll be out and about spreading the virus instead of self isolating.

This explains the explosion of cases after vaccination, the vaccinated become silent super spreaders.

I still do so when I do go outside and I avoid mass gatherings. I'm vaxxed but the question is, who is and who isn't?

Masks are nonsense. The virus is small enough to go through and around masks.