Written By: Satata Karmakar | Published : July 29, 2021 8:55 AM IST
Got your second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine? you are still at risk of catching the deadly coronavirus and that is why it is a must for your to keep following the pandemic safety protocols even after getting fully immunized. Barely three months after suggesting that vaccinated people are no longer required to wear masks, indoors or even when they are out, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has now urged people to resume wearing masks amid the surging delta variant.
Speaking to media, Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), expressed disappointment and dismay that the summer surge in cases, driven by the delta variant's startling transmissibility and low vaccination rates in many areas, had forced the agency to reimpose its guidance that was lifted in May, the Washington Post reported. "It is not a welcome piece of news that masking is going to be a part of people's lives who have already been vaccinated," Walensky said. "This new guidance weighs heavily on me."
Delta COVID-19 variant was first found in India and according to the expert, this variant is the possible reason behind a sudden surge in the COVID-19 cases in the second wave in India. The delta variant of coronavirus is extremely transmissible and infectious compared to other forms of the COVID-19.
Amid a surge in the Delta cases from around the world, the CDC has issued new guidance that advises people who live in high-transmission communities to not lower the guards and keep wearing masks in indoor public spaces, even if they've been vaccinated. The CDC has also recommended that vaccinated people with vulnerable household members, including young children and those who are immunocompromised, wear masks indoors in public spaces, the report said.
The agency also called for universal masking for teachers, staff members, and students in schools, regardless of their vaccination status. The CDC continues to recommend that students return to in-person learning in the fall. In addition, the agency also now says that fully vaccinated people should get tested if they have any covid-19 symptoms or if they were recently exposed to someone who had a suspected or confirmed infection. Fully vaccinated Americans also should isolate if they test positive for the coronavirus or are experiencing symptoms, it said.
According to health experts, the delta variant of coronavirus is a different virus that is capable of generating outbreaks of infection even among people who are vaccinated. "The delta variant is showing every day its willingness to outsmart us and to be an opportunist in areas where we have not shown a fortified response against it," an expert said.
The concern was also echoed by US top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci, who said that "the situation has clearly changed" since May 13, the Post reported. "Vaccinated people are transmitting it, and the extent is unclear, but there's no doubt they're transmitting it. People who are vaccinated, even when they're asymptomatic, can transmit the virus, which is the scientific foundation of why this recommendation is being made," Fauci was quoted as saying.
(With inputs from Agencies)
