Cristina Hodgson
MASKS are here to stay for a long time, as are other basic safety measures, such as maintaining interpersonal distance and continuous hand washing experts warn.
The year 2021 will be marked by the vaccination of the population (first the most vulnerable and later the rest if there is sufficient production), a process that will take time.
Official sources of the Interterritorial Health Council, responsible for the coordination, cooperation and liaison among the central and autonomous region public health administrations, and in which the steps to be taken in the fight against the pandemic are agreed upon have announced that the ‘vaccination process will be long’ and mask use will have to be maintained ‘for many months, regardless of the arrival of the vaccines’.
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The Interterritorial Health Council highlighted that, for a time, ‘vaccinated citizens will live together with others who are not and who must be protected.’
Additionally, there are still many unresolved questions regarding how long immunity will last, the possibilities of re-infection, among other issues.
Some experts believe that the vaccination plan will be extended through the coming winter. This being the case, it will be necessary to continue with the mask, the two-metre interpersonal distance and hand washing for ‘at least’ 2021.
Public health experts believe that the arrival of the vaccine is not the end of the pandemic, but the way to end it, with masks as faithful companions.
