What is COVID-19 and how is it transmitted?

Covid-19 is a respiratory disease that spreads when an infected person exhales very small respiratory droplets and particles which contain the virus. These droplets and respiratory particles can be inhaled by other people or deposited into their eyes, nose, or mouth. For this reason, it is important to place the mask correctly over your nose, mouth, and jaw. It is also important that if you use surgical masks you should only use it once and discard it, but if you use cloth masks, you should wear it, wash it, and reuse it to help reduce contamination.

Is it necessary to get vaccinated and wear a mask?

According to health experts, the answer is a resounding YES. In many states, such as California, it is necessary to wear face masks in public places where social distancing cannot be maintained, and receiving a COVID-19 vaccines is greatly recommended. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasize that wearing masks and getting vaccinated can help slow the spread of COVID-19 disease and save lives.

What are the benefits of getting the COVID-19 vaccine?

Both the COVID-19 vaccine and the flu vaccine reduce the severity of illness if a person contracts the virus. No vaccine can guarantee that a person will be infected, but if a vaccinated person does contract the disease, the illness will be much milder. All of the vaccines approved in the United States (Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson) offer protection against hospitalization and death, especially for the elderly and people in the “high-risk” category who have certain health conditions or chronic illnesses. Parents who vaccinate their children will be able to rest more easily when sending their children to school, allowing them to play sports and interact in social situations.

What can I do if I cannot get vaccinated?

Some people can have a allergic reaction to the ingredients in the vaccine. If you wish to be vaccinated, please talk to your doctor first to make sure that you will not have a severe reaction to the vaccine. If after reading this you are still not convinced to be vaccinated, please continue wearing your mask correctly. If you are not vaccinated yet, then from the moment that you leave your house, always wear your face mask and disinfect your hands and the objects that you touch.

If you can, please contribute by vaccinating yourself. If you have not yet been vaccinated, you can go to any of the certified pharmacies that we have in our town, such as CVS Pharmacy. You can make your appointment online by going to the official CVS website, or you can go to other vaccination centers, such as Walgreens or the Zufall Health Center (Zufall also offers translation services for those whose first language is not English). The vaccine against COVID-19 is completely free. If you are already vaccinated, please continue using masks. Remember: the vaccine helps protection against COVID, but it is not a cure. To have the maximum protection, it is important to receive all the doses, especially both doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Works Cited

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “COVID-19 and Your Health.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 13 Aug. 2021, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html.

World Health Organization. “Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).” World Health Organization, 12 Oct. 2020, www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.

World Health Organization. “Vaccine Efficacy, Effectiveness and Protection.” World Health Organization, 14 July 2021, www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/vaccine-efficacy-effectiveness-and-protection.