There are several reasons why we will still have to wear a mask, even after getting vaccinated. Vaccines may give people a sense of security that masks are no longer needed, but unfortunately, that is not the case.
Vaccination does not provide instant immunity. Both vaccines come in two doses, and are administered weeks apart. After your first dose you can still become infected because you aren’t fully protected until you have both doses, medical professionals say.
The vaccination trials did not track whether participants wore masks, so it’s not clear if the vaccine’s effectiveness had anything to do with participants also wearing masks and social distancing.
Experts say the herd immunity threshold for COVID-19 is unknown. For example, with measles 95% of the population needs to be vaccinated in order to limit the spread. The percentage for COVID-19 has not been established.
The duration of how long the vaccine will be effective is still unknown. It could be a shot where the majority of the population will have to get one yearly, or more than once a year.
It is also unclear if the vaccinations will prevent the transmission of COVID-19 in regards to asymptomatic infections. The vaccine studies that are still being continued will hopefully answer a lot of these questions.