Do the vaccinated need masks as Delta variant spreads? What experts say of WHO advice
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The COVID-19 vaccines will never be perfect; fully vaccinated people can still get infected, though they’re much less likely to be hospitalized or die from the disease. Yet, the Delta coronavirus variant first discovered in India has some experts concerned.
The World Health Organization suggested on Friday that fully vaccinated people still wear face masks whenever possible, citing the Delta variant’s increased transmissibility and risk of serious COVID-19 across the globe.
“People cannot feel safe just because they had the two doses. They still need to protect themselves… vaccines alone won’t stop community transmission,” Dr. Mariangela Simao, WHO assistant director-general for access to medicines and health products, said during a virtual press conference on June 25. “People need to continue to use masks consistently, be in ventilated spaces, hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, the physical distance, avoid crowding.”