Do I Still Need to Wear a Face Mask After I Get the COVID-19 Vaccine?

As mask mandates stand across the state, many are wondering what it means for those who are vaccinated against the virus. Will you still need to wear a mask once you are vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine?

The short answer is… yes.

Experts say it is possible for a person who got vaccinated to transmit the virus to others even if they don’t get sick themselves.


“I would recommend to people to not to abandon all public health measures just because you’ve been vaccinated,” Fauci told CNN anchor Jake Tapper on State of the Union.

Fauci insisted that masks and social distancing were here to stay.

“Because even though for the general population it might be 90 to 95 percent effective, you don’t necessarily know for you how effective it is.”

Fauci, the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he would be among those who stay masked.

“I can feel more relaxed in essentially not having the stringency that we have right now. But I think abandoning it completely would not be a good idea,” Fauci said.

Even once vaccine supplies start ramping up, getting hundreds of millions vaccinated is expected to take months.

Moncef Slaoui, head of the U.S. vaccine development effort, has estimated the country could reach herd immunity as early as May, based on the effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. That’s assuming there are no problems meeting manufacturers’ supply estimates, and enough people step forward to be vaccinated.

Again, wearing a mask is not so much about protecting yourself. It is about protecting your community and those around you. The vaccine can give you a peace of mind, but experts are still warning that mask wearing will still be necessary in order to stop the spread.