What can I do to protect myself? "The absolute first thing everybody needs to do is get vaccinated. And people, no matter what your fears are, it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it," said Whyte. The next thing is to social distance as much as you can. If you're hanging out with friends and you don't know their vaccine status, wear a mask, Whyte said. She said if you're not vaccinated and you’re in public, wear a mask. If you're vaccinated but you’re in a group of people, wear a mask.