In this article, we explore what it means to get Covid-19 vaccinated and answer some questions you may have about what’s next
The Covid-19 vaccine is reaching more and more people in Malaysia but as non-frontliners, we still have some ways to go before we receive our Covid-19 vaccination. This has given us ample time to ponder over the questions about the efficacy and safety of the vaccines, and how it will change our lives thereafter–granted, since this is all still very new.
Read more: Malaysia’s Covid-19 Vaccine Programme: MySejahtera Updated With Registration
Does getting vaccinated grant us full immunity? Will it finally allow us to travel freely? Can we exchange virtual hugs for real hugs? Here are some things you can and can’t do after getting your final Covid-19 shot.
Can I stop wearing a mask?
While the Covid-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna seem to be remarkably good at preventing serious illness, there's not enough evidence to show that any of the existing Covid-19 vaccines can completely stop people from being infected. This means vaccinated people can become silent spreaders of the virus and put unvaccinated people at risk.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, once you’re fully vaccinated, you’re free to visit other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing. However, if you’re fully vaccinated and you go to another single household that has unvaccinated people, you can be unmasked but they have to be masked.
See also: Covid-19: How To Wear Your Face Mask Properly And When To Replace It
Our take? Don’t risk it. Mask up anyway, especially when you’re out and about in a mixed crowd or among unvaccinated people, keeping in mind that new strains of the virus also add unknowns.