The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have just released new recommendations on the use of masks in the case of fully vaccinated people.
The new recommendations have a reason Clear but invisible: the growing threat of the Delta variant of the coronavirus that causes COVID – 19. This mutation of the virus that was first recorded in India in December 2020 quickly became the strain dominant in that country, Great Britain, and now in the United States.
Scientists claim that the Delta variant is between 50 Y 60% more contagious than previous forms of the coronavirus, and it is spreading rapidly in the country and in the world: it is already present in more than 70 countries.
The CDC indicates that if a person is fully vaccinated (this means that two weeks have passed since the second dose of Pfizer vaccines or Modern, or single dose if it is the Johnson & Johnson vaccine), you can participate in most of the activities you did before the pandemic.
However, to maximize protection against the Delta variant and to prevent it from continuing to spread, it is advisable to wear a mask in public if you are in an area of high transmission.
The use of a mask or face mask is even more important if the person has a weakened immune system or if, due to your age or an underlying medical condition, you are at increased risk of serious illness.
Also if someone in your household has a weakened immune system, you are at higher risk seriously ill or not vaccinated. In this case, the person can choose to wear a mask regardless of the level of transmission in their area.
The world before Delta
The first firm reaction was that of the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, who in a speech to the nation on 12 said that only people vaccinated or tested negative for COVID could go to restaurants, bars and shopping centers, starting the rule in August.
These new restrictions will apply in France to trains, domestic flights, theaters, amusement parks, concerts, hospitals and homes for the elderly.
Italy, one of the first countries hard hit by the pandemic, will require proof of vaccination, through the green pass, as it is called in Europe, for anyone who wants to visit museums, go to the gym or to the cinema.
The same in Greece and Portugal. Germany has imposed isolation for newcomers from certain countries, and also proof of vaccination or recent testing.
In the UK, where the Delta variant has long been dominant, citizens are prohibited from traveling to certain countries such as the Netherlands and Bulgaria.
The European Union says that tourists English have been responsible for spreading, first the Alpha variant and then the Delta, across the continent.
But, in a global world, where Viruses enter planes, ships and trains without a visa, it is not useful to blame but to seek solutions, emphasize public health experts.
And they agree with Macron’s hard line, reimposing the use of masks , proof of vaccination or testing and restrictions.
To financially support the new restrictions, European banks have decided to maintain relief measures for citizens.
What are the variants or strains of a virus
Viruses constantly change through mutation and it is always expected new variants of a virus occur. Sometimes variants or strains appear that later disappear. Other times, they persist for a long time. Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID have been documented – 19 in the United States and around the world during this pandemic.
The way viruses survive is constantly changing. As the human organism “learns” to fight them through the immune response, from vaccination, viruses need to change to continue circulating.
As viruses change, they become more diverse, explains the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Scientists monitor these changes, including changes to the surface of the virus. By carefully studying viruses, they can learn how changes in the virus can affect how it spreads and how people will be infected.
To explain this biological process, the CDC envisions a virus as a tree that grows and branches; Each branch of the tree is slightly different from the others. By comparing the branches, scientists can label them according to the differences. These small differences, or variants, have been studied and identified since the beginning of the COVID pandemic – 14.
Some variants allow the virus to spread more easily or make it resistant to treatments or vaccines . These variants should be monitored more carefully.
Variants circulating in the States United
There are currently four notable variants in the country:
B.1.1.7 (Alpha) : This variant was first detected in the United States in December 2020. Initially registered in the UK.
B.1. 351 (Beta): This variant was first detected in the United States in late January . Initially observed in South Africa in December 2020.
P.1 (Gamma): This variant was first detected in the United States in January 2021. P.1 was initially identified in travelers from Brazil, who were evaluated during a routine examination at an airport in Japan, in early January.
B.1. 617. 2 (Delta): This variant was first detected in the United States in March of . Initially identified in India in December 2020.
These variants seem to spread easier and faster than others, which can lead to more COVID cases – . An increase in the number of cases will put more pressure on healthcare resources, lead to more hospitalizations and potentially more deaths.
What is lambda
The World Health Organization (WHO) considers it a “strain or variant of interest” for the following:
- It has genetic changes that are predicted or known to affect the characteristics of the virus, such as transmissibility, severity of the disease, ability to “trick” the immune system, more difficult to diagnose and treat.
- Records significant community transmission or multiple groups of COVID – 19, in several countries with an increasing relative prevalence along with an increasing number of cases over time, or other apparent epidemiological impacts suggesting an emerging risk to global public health.
The scientific community has been monitoring the progress of the Lambda variant, and has recorded its growing presence in Chile, Argentina and Ecuador.
On 28 June, the Kingdom Public Health System United put this variant on the list of strains to be investigated, especially because of its rapid dissemination.
Compared to the Delta variant that emerged in India and has two protein mutations, Lambda has seven , allowing you to infect healthy cells with easier.
So far, the different vaccines that are being used to combat the COVID pandemic – have appeared to be effective against different variants of the coronavirus. The immune reaction to Lambda is being monitored.
Why should you get vaccinated against COVID
WHY YOU NEED TO GET VACCINATED AGAINST COVID. KEY ANSWERS
What is the benefit of being vaccinated against COVID?
Available COVID vaccines protect up to % and more develop the disease.
The information available to date, the product of scientific research, shows that if the person is vaccinated and is infected anyway, the vaccine will protect them from developing a serious form of the disease.
How does a vaccine against covid act in the body?
The aim of the vaccine is to teach the immune system to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID – 19.
The vaccine contains substances that act by neutralizing the action of a protein that helps the coronavirus infect the human body. In addition, by immunizing the body is left with a supply of T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes that will remember how to fight that virus in the future.
Are covid vaccines all the same? Can you choose which one to use?
Currently, there are three main types of covid vaccines – 19 that have been developed. They are as follows:
mRNA vaccines. These vaccines contain material from the virus that causes covid – 19. This material “teaches” cells how to make a harmless protein that is unique to the virus. Once the cells make copies of the protein, they destroy the genetic material in the vaccine.
If the virus, the body will recognize that the protein should not be there and will produce T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes that will remember how to fight the virus that causes covid – 19. That is, they will prevent infection
Vaccines with protein subunits. These vaccines contain harmless parts (proteins) of the virus that causes covid – 19, but they do not contain all the germ.
When vaccinated, a person’s immune system recognizes that proteins do not belong in the body and begins to produce T lymphocytes and antibodies. If in the future the person becomes infected, the cells, which memorized this protein, will recognize it and fight against the virus.
Vector vaccines. These vaccines contain a weakened version of a live virus, different from the one that causes covid – 19, which has genetic material from the virus that causes covid – 19 inserted into it (this is called a viral vector).
Once the viral vector is inside the cells, the genetic material “instructs” the cells to produce a protein that is unique to the virus that causes covid – 19.
Using these instructions, cells do copies of the protein. This prompts the body to produce T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes that will remember how to fight that virus if the person becomes infected in the future.
The reality is that surely there is no possibility of choosing which vaccine to use because depending on the departments, municipalities, countries there will be certain vaccines available. All available vaccines are effective and safe.
Do these vaccines have side effects?
Vaccines can be c Ausar side effects such as arm pain and some fever. But this means that they have in fact started to act in the body. These symptoms are normal and are a sign that the body is developing immunity.
In the United States, the procedure is to vaccinate the person and have the person stay half an hour at the vaccination site to monitor any unusual reaction.
How long does it take for the body to be protected against COVID?
It generally takes a few weeks for the body to produce T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes after vaccination, to produce immunity. Average is 19 days.
Therefore, it is possible for a person to get infected with the virus that causes covid – 19 just before or just after vaccination and then get sick because the vaccine didn’t have enough time to provide protection.
What is known from the experience with other vaccines is that if a vaccinated person becomes infected, they will most likely have a mild form of the disease.
Why are two doses of COVID vaccine needed?
Most covid vaccines require two doses. Only one, Johnson & Johnson uses a single dose.
The first puncture begins to build protection. A second dose is needed a few weeks later to get the best protection the vaccine can offer.
This is not unique to the covid vaccine – 19. Many vaccines on the routine vaccination schedule require two to three doses to build long-term immunity, for example the DTaP vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, or the pneumococcal vaccine.
Can COVID spread after being vaccinated?
Several studies have been carried out from the real world, in the US, Israel, the UK and other European countries showing a profound reduction in asymptomatic infection and virus transmission after vaccination.
Specialists agree that people can confidently return to most activities. However, they hope to have more information in the coming months about safety in crowded and poorly ventilated spaces indoors.
What happens if I can’t get my second gear to go with it? doses after three or four weeks that indicate? What should I do?
The ideal is to receive the second dose with an interval of three or four weeks. It is a priority to go to this appointment that will surely be made when the first dose is to be received. However, if for a force majeure reason you cannot attend, the second dose can be received for up to six weeks (42 days) after the first.
It is not recommended to receive the second dose earlier than recommended (three to four weeks)
Can I receive the first dose of the covid vaccine from one brand and the second from another?
Although the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends not combining brands, several European countries are already doing so.
Typically, if the person receives a covid vaccine that requires two doses, the two doses are administered from the same pharmaceutical or laboratory, for example , two from Pfizer, two from Moderna, two from Sputnik, etc.
However this may change, either out of necessity, because there are shortage of a type of vaccine, or because the design of the vaccine is modified e the vaccine. In fact, for example in Germany, Spain and France, people are already being encouraged to receive a first dose of AstraZeneca and a second one from what is available, even if it is different.
Basically, Vaccines do the same thing: educating the immune system to recognize the coronavirus and destroy it. Giving him two different doses, with two different formulations, is like showing him two photos of the same virus, but from a different angle.
Are there any risks? Scientists agree not.
What is the cost of the vaccine?
Covid vaccines – whether or not people have insurance or health coverage.
Can a person who is not a resident of the United States travel to be vaccinated in that country?
Although there is no official communication from the US government, some vaccination centers in several states have begun administering the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccine to tourists and visitors, without requesting proof of residency or citizenship.
Appointments are necessary in most centers. On the official page https://www.vacunas.gov you can search for vaccination sites nationwide.
Some unofficial portals offer the list of states where visitors and non-residents are vaccinated and inform the vaccination centers to make an appointment. But it is always a good idea to verify this information in each case.
Travelers coming to the United States from abroad, including US citizens, must still have a negative SARS viral test result- CoV-2 or COVID Recovery Documentation – 19 before boarding a flight to the United States.
How long does the immunity generated by the vaccine last?
Experts do not know for sure how long this protection lasts, and the risk of serious illness and death from covid – 19 far outweighs any benefit of natural immunity (when the person comes into contact with the virus).
The covid vaccine – 19 helps protect by creating an antibody response (immune system) without having to experience disease.
Both natural immunity how immunity produced by a vaccine are important parts of covid – 19 about which experts are learning more every day.
One of the things to elucidate is whether the vaccine against covid will provide long-term immunity or will end up being seasonal, such as the
If I wear a mask, why do I have to get vaccinated?
The use of masks and physical distancing help reduce the possibility of being exposed to the virus or transmitting it to other people, but these measures are not enough.
Vaccines teach the body that the immune system is ready to fight the virus if it is exposed.
The combination of vaccines and basic sanitary measures, Wearing a mask, respecting distancing and washing hands, among others, will continue to offer protection against covid – , as long as the pandemic is not declared over.
Why getting vaccinated is a social duty
Getting vaccinated is one of the many steps you can take to protect yourself and others from covid – 19. This protection against covid – 19 is of vital importance because some people can suffer a severe form of covid, or die.
To stop a pandemic, it is necessary to use all available tools.
Mass vaccination generates what is called herd immunity: the equation is simple, the greater the quantity of people vaccinated, the greater the protection against the virus.
Vaccination protects the vaccinated, protects others, and makes the circulation of the virus weakened, because it stops finding organisms to infect.
This is the way to end the pandemic.
Sources: University of Miami Health System, London school of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NPR, Nature, CDC, Johns Hopkins University, University of Michigan, NIAID.