By HANNA MORDOH
WISH-TV | wishtv.com
As more people get their COVID-19 vaccine, they’re wondering when they can safely get back to normal life. Doctors say it takes about two weeks after the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for optimal protection to kick in. However, safety precautions will be necessary for a while to keep unvaccinated people safe.
Healthcare workers said people may need to wait a bit longer for that hug after their shots.
“Immunity really happens two weeks after that second dose, full immunity,” Melissa McMasters said. “So in the meantime, we still need to do everything we have been doing. Still social distancing, wearing your masks, washing your hands. It’s just time to be extra patient.”
McMasters is the Nurse Administrator for the Immunization and Infectious Disease Program at the Marion County Public Health Department. She has been fighting the virus on the frontlines throughout the pandemic and is now helping seniors in Indiana get vaccinated.
According to the CDC, the various COVID-19 vaccines have not been proven to reduce transmission of the virus. Health experts in Indianapolis said transmission seems unlikely, since the vaccine should highly reduce the chances of people getting the COVID-19 virus. Still, they suggest that people keep the safety of others in mind.
“It is important even if you have received the vaccine, to note that there are several around you that haven’t,” McMasters said.
The CDC hasn’t made it clear what percentage of the population needs to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity. However, healthcare workers say every day as people get vaccinated, the solution to our social distanced dilemma inches closer.
“It is the light at the end of the tunnel for all of us to get back to normal, and to get rid of this pandemic,” McMasters said.