Do people vaccinated against COVID-19 ever need to wear masks?

With more than 50% of the Minnesota adult population fully vaccinated, many are asking if they still need to wear masks. In an interview, Beth Thielen, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Minnesota, spoke to the masses giving her take on when making is appropriate versus going maskless. To many, the answer to this question is a difficult one depending on one’s situation, but according to Dr. Thielen, making this decision depends on a couple of factors. First, if you aren’t fully vaccinated, the CDC still recommends you should wear a mask and practice social distancing in public as you are still vulnerable to contracting the virus. Second, the decision to wear a mask depends on your comfort level. There is still a small risk of contracting COVID-19 even following full vaccination, just as there is a small risk of spreading the virus though both of these scenarios are rare. If you don’t feel comfortable ditching the mask or you have loved one’s who still may be at risk, then masking in public places may be a good choice. Lastly, masks have collateral benefits as they not only protect against COVID, but other frequently spread illnesses. Therefore, you can also protect yourself from the common cold and other frequent illnesses if you aren’t quite ready to ditch that mask. To read the full article and Dr. Thielen’s take on mask-wearing based on the CDC recommendations and research, follow this link.