The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its recommendations on Thursday, allowing people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to be able to be in most indoor and outdoor spaces without a mask and without maintaining social distance.
But can we feel safe in spaces that gather many people, such as restaurants, cinemas and theaters, supermarkets or even concerts?
"I still would not consider these places as safe," said Sandra Albrecht, a researcher and professor in the Department of Epidemiology at Columbia University, in an email to Noticias Telemundo.
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"It is less risky than before, but it really depends on what proportion of people are fully vaccinated," adds the epidemiologist, who explained that the problem is that we do not know if all the people who say they are vaccinated really are, unless those responsible Demand proof of immunization from everyone present.
Albrecht advises fully vaccinated people to continue using masks in closed public places, especially to avoid infecting unvaccinated people, including children.
It is important to remember that if a vaccinated person becomes infected but does not become ill, they can still transmit the virus to other people who are not immunized.
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"Children [for whom there are no approved vaccines] are at risk of infection and of transmitting the virus to other unvaccinated people," said Albrecht, who also serves as an epidemiologist for the Querida Pandemia project, which fights misinformation about COVID- 19.
His opinion agrees with that of a large majority of epidemiologists surveyed in the last two weeks by The New York Times, who expected the use of masks in public to last for at least a year.
This Thursday, when announcing the new guidelines, Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, director of the CDC, assured that fully vaccinated people are protected in places such as restaurants and concerts.
However, Albrecht believes the decision is hasty.
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"Only about 35% of adults in the United States are vaccinated and there are still outbreaks in different parts of the country. My recommendation remains in favor of wearing masks for everyone in public indoors until many more people are vaccinated," he said.
"We may soon get to a point where we do not need precautionary measures indoors, but it is important that more people get vaccinated first," he added.
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However, while the CDC assures that fully vaccinated people "can resume the activities they did before the pandemic," top health officials insist that normalcy will only come when more people are vaccinated.
For example, people traveling on airplanes, buses, trains and other means of public transport, and bus and train stations and airports will continue to be required to face masks.
The director of the CDC also explained that immunosuppressed people, even if they are fully vaccinated, should consult with their doctors before stopping using the mask.
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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced last week that Broadway shows will officially reopen on September 14, after more than a year and a half of inactivity due to the pandemic.
Tickets are on sale now and theaters will be available at 100% capacity.
Cuomo assured that the shows will comply with the possible preventive measures that are agreed for a safe reopening, including the use of masks in the public, health checks and health checks, disinfection of surfaces and better filtration and ventilation of the air.
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In New Jersey, live artistic performances in enclosed spaces will be able to take place at 100% of the capacity of the rooms from next week, as long as they do not exceed 250 people and it is guaranteed that people remain within six feet of distance.
In addition, those attending the shows must wear masks.
And the limit of people allowed in outdoor events will be eliminated.
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On Wednesday, during an NBC and Noticias Telemundo forum, journalist Vanessa Hauc asked Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, if buying Broadway tickets for the fall is a good idea.
"I think it would be a very good bet, I am hoping that by the time we have passed the summer there will be enough people vaccinated in the country and that the level of infection is very low. And when it is this low, the theaters, cinemas and stadiums they are going to open, "Fauci replied.
Currently in New York City, almost four out of every 10 residents are fully vaccinated, according to official data.
As of Thursday, May 13, 154 million people in the United States had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccines, although only a third of the population is fully vaccinated.
"If we stay at these levels, then no, I don't think we can go back to normal," said epidemiologist Albrecht, "in the fall and winter it gets colder and people start to congregate more indoors. This presents a opportunity for more infections if many people remain unvaccinated. "
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People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the injection of one dose of Johnson & Johnson, or the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
If you have not received any doses or have not completed the vaccination process, you should continue to wear masks and maintain social distance when you are with people who do not live with you, according to the recommendations of the CDC.
