Normality is approaching for vaccinated, says the Government 0:32
(CNN) -
The news spread throughout the United States: finally without a mask!
People who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no longer have to wear masks inside or outside, nor do they have to stay 2 meters away from others, according to a new guide published Thursday by the Centers for Control and Prevention. Department of Diseases (CDC).
Does that mean that Americans who were vaccinated at least two weeks ago, meaning full immunity has started, can throw their masks in the air and hug everyone in celebration?
Not at all.
You have to wear the mask in public transport or if required by laws or regulations;
that would apply to hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare settings, and even some local businesses and workplaces.
Children still have to wear a mask to go to school.
Then there's this warning: “If you have a medical condition or are taking medications that weaken your immune system, you may NOT be fully protected even if you are fully vaccinated.
Talk to your healthcare provider, ”the CDC said in the new guide.
"Even after vaccination, you may need to continue to take all precautions."
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On CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said that immunosuppressed people should check with their doctors before deciding to stop wearing a mask, but that others, including who are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 may want to do so as well.
For the most part, emerging studies now suggest that immunosuppressed people or those taking drugs that disrupt their immune systems - for example, people who have had organ transplants or are on chemotherapy - may not have as much protection from vaccines against covid-19.
At least one study suggests that dialysis patients may not be as protected as well, he said.
Immunosuppressed
There are a number of conditions that can weaken immunity.
Some diseases, such as HIV / AIDS, can completely devastate the body's ability to fight infection.
Organ transplant patients must take daily medications that suppress the immune system to prevent it from rejecting the new organ.
And chemotherapy works by killing cell growth to prevent cancer cells from multiplying, thereby weakening the immune system.
"In addition to chemotherapy, certain types of immunotherapy, stem cell or bone marrow transplants, and other medications can severely weaken the immune system," said Laura Makaroff, senior vice president for prevention and early detection for the American Cancer Society.
People who are severely immunosuppressed are told to stay with a mask and take extra precautions to protect themselves from all kinds of pathogens, and they want the rest of us to wear masks to protect them too.
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Common conditions that weaken immunity
Many common diseases and conditions that affect millions of Americans can weaken the immune system, usually to a lesser degree.
The body can respond indifferently to invaders, making it more vulnerable to infections and viruses like COVID-19.
Diabetes, for example, can lower immunity: There are 34.2 million people living with diabetes in the US Another 88 million have prediabetes, according to the CDC.
Not everyone has a fragile immune system, but some do.
One of them is Alyannah Buhman, who told CNN last August that concern about COVID-19 left her "very nervous."
"I get sick very easily," he said.
I can't fight anything to save my life.
I start to throw up everywhere.
It's a terrifying thought.
Obesity can also be linked to weak immunity (over 40% of Americans are obese) as can chronic kidney disease, liver and heart disease, and old age.
When it comes to cancer, both current patients and survivors should check with their doctor before removing masks and other protections, Makaroff said.
“For people who have a weakened immune system, either from the cancer itself or from the treatment, they may not be fully protected even if they are fully vaccinated.
It's important to talk to your healthcare provider about the precautions you still need to take, ”he said.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States, but unlike cancer, “drugs used to treat heart disease are, for the most part, not immunosuppressant and shouldn't have any. particular risk, ”said Dr. Mitchell Elkind, president of the American Heart Association.
"Patients with heart disease are at higher risk for adverse outcomes from COVID-19, but have the same benefits from vaccines as those without heart disease," Elkind said.
How do I know if I was given the Covid-19 vaccine or a placebo?
Dr. Huerta responds
"We recommend that heart disease patients who have been vaccinated and are not immunosuppressed for any other reason follow the CDC guidelines on mask use and social distancing," he said.
Because pregnant women are at higher risk for severe COVID-19, Walensky said the CDC is encouraging them to get vaccinated and that the decision to stop wearing a mask would be an individual one.
Autoimmune drugs
Millions of Americans live with common autoimmune diseases like "psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and lupus," said Dr. Cedric "Jamie" Rutland, pulmonary and intensive care physician.
In autoimmune disorders, the immune system fails, mistakenly ordering its army of warriors to attack the person's own body.
Medications often used to treat autoimmune disorders are designed to suppress this overly enthusiastic immune response, but they are not targeted.
Instead, the drugs weaken the entire immune system, leaving the body vulnerable to urinary and upper respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, skin infections, and of course, Covid-19.
Some studies have also found that by lowering the immune response, people taking drugs for autoimmune diseases may not "have as strong a response to the COVID-19 vaccine," said Rutland, medical director of Rutland Medical Group in Newport Beach. , California.
A small study of 26 people with inflammatory diseases found that levels of antibodies to coronavirus were slightly lower in those patients compared to others, but none were a "complete non-responder."
A larger study of 133 people found a "threefold reduction" in COVID-19 antibodies compared to healthy controls, with some drugs, such as glucocorticoids, worse than others.
Still, the antibodies found in patients taking drugs were "comparable to those in patients with a rapid recovery from COVID-19 and therefore may provide sufficient humoral protection," according to the study.
The study was a preprint, which means that it has not been reviewed by a journal for publication.
While vaccination appears to be effective, Rutland said he plays it safe with his patients: "I take those (autoimmune) drugs off of them before they get vaccinated, so they can have the proper immune response," he said.
Know where you should continue to wear a mask if you live in the US and are vaccinated
In the end, how do you decide if you fit into the category of "weakened immune system"?
How can you know if you should think twice before joining the masked masses?
"What we would definitely recommend is that people who have diseases that compromise the immune system or who take these medications consult their doctors," said Walensky.
"Really, again, not everyone has to take off their mask because our guide changed on Thursday," he said.
"So yeah, if you're concerned, check with your doctor before you stop wearing your mask."
CNN's Ryan Prior and Virginia Langmaid contributed to this report.
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