The case for continued mask wearing

Why should I wear a mask now that we have vaccines for COVID?

Now that vaccinations are taking place to immunize people against COVID-19, it would seem logical that we are now free to go back to normal life. Right?

No, in many ways it has become just as important or even more important to continue to wear masks and practice social distancing and sanitizing.

It is going to take months to reach herd immunity through vaccination. Because of misinformation, some people may never get immunized. As long as there are people who are not immunized, there will be room for the virus to both find new hosts and to mutate, creating more danger that new forms of the virus will form before we have vaccines to combat them.

Even among people already vaccinated, it takes time for the vaccines effectiveness to build up, and two of the three vaccines now available require two doses.

Most of the medical experts agree that even people getting a second vaccine should not consider themselves as completely safe from the virus for a couple of weeks, until their immunized system has had time to fully absorb it.

Until our nation is completely clear of the virus, it is important to keep modeling safe behaviors, because as long as the virus is spreading, it will continue to sicken and even kill people. It is beyond tragic that we will continue to lose loved ones and neighbors when we are so close to getting through this pandemic. That is going to continue to take a toll our labor market and local and national economy.

The safest bet is to continue to follow the CDC guidelines until they tell us otherwise.

Follow the science!

My name is Michael Davis. I'm running for the Cape County Public Health Board of Trustees, and I'm asking for your vote.

MICHAEL DAVIS, 2305 Sherwood Drive, Cape Girardeau, Missouri 63701