US National Institutes of Health Director: "Masks Must Be Worn for Months After Vaccination"

"Vaccine's Ability to Block Transmission Remains Unclear"

Francis Collins, Director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health [Photo by EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] As COVID-19 vaccinations began across the United States on the 14th (local time), the director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) stated that even those vaccinated must continue wearing masks.

Francis Collins, director of the NIH, appeared on NBC News that day and said, "Masks will still be a part of our lives," adding, "We need to recognize this and not remove protective equipment." This means that for the coming months, masks should be considered a part of daily life as they have been so far.

On CNN, Collins also emphasized that "(vaccinated individuals) will very likely not contract COVID-19, but we must still consider the possibility of transmission," stressing that vaccinated people should continue wearing masks. He added that it is unclear whether vaccinated individuals can still transmit the virus to others, and determining this will take several months.

Regarding this, Leana Wen, visiting professor at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University, explained in a Q&A with CNN that while the vaccine is effective in prevention, there remains a possibility of asymptomatic infection, which could potentially lead to transmission. She said, "What we know is that the Pfizer vaccine is very effective in preventing symptomatic and severe illness," but "the vaccine makers have not yet examined whether it prevents transmission to others."

Professor Wen explained, "This is precisely why we cannot immediately stop wearing masks after getting vaccinated," adding, "Vaccines will prevent people from becoming seriously ill and eventually hospitalized, but they can still carry and transmit the virus to others."

Professor Wen estimated that about 70% of Americans need to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity, at which point enough people will have immunity to prevent further spread of COVID-19. She predicted, "If everything goes smoothly, the best estimate is that most Americans will be vaccinated by late spring or early summer next year," and "At that point, we will probably be able to see each other without masks."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.