I have been vaccinated, when can I lead a normal life?

To answer your question, I must tell you that the most important thing is that we know that vaccines protect against severe cases of the disease, but we do not yet know if those vaccinated can continue to infect or if they can infect themselves.

Given this risk and no matter how low the viral load of a vaccinated person who has had contact with an infected person may be, there may be the possibility of infecting himself and others even though he is protected against the disease.

Therefore, vaccinated people must continue to maintain known precautionary standards, that is:

1.-They must continue to use the mask properly, well adjusted and change it after the time of use (four hours for surgical or hygienic and eight hours for FFP2)

2.- They should continue to wash their hands frequently with hot water and soap and if they cannot, they should use hydroalcoholic gel.

3.-They must maintain a certain distance with any other person who is not living together.

4.- And if they are going to meet someone or participate in a meeting, they should try to make it outdoors.

Thus, in reality, until we are sure whether those vaccinated acquire “sterilizing” immunity, that is to say that they are not contagious or transmitters of the virus, the same attitudes towards others that they had before the vaccination should continue to be maintained. vaccination.

In addition, it must be taken into account that depending on the type of vaccine that has been given, the vaccine efficacy ranges between 70-75% (Astra-Zeneca Oxford) and 90-98% (Moderna and N-Biotech Pfizer).

You should also know that the acquisition of maximum immune protection is obtained between ten and twenty days after receiving the second dose of the vaccine.

So it is also important that until then you act exactly the same as if you were not vaccinated.

If we understand by normal life what we had before the pandemic, for the moment it will not be possible

As a final answer to your question, I will tell you that if we understand by normal life what we had before the pandemic, for the moment it will not be possible until we understand the coronavirus much better than it causes it or until society acquires an immunity group, for which there is still time.

But in any case, the change that the vaccine makes in our lives is immense because it protects us from suffering a serious disease that can be fatal.

María Elisa Calle Purón

is a tenured professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the Complutense University of Madrid, an expert in epidemiology and preventive medicine

Question sent via email by

Patricia López

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