Covid-19: What health authorities say about wearing masks after vaccination at hotels, public places

While most people will not need to take precautions if they are vaccinated, it also depends on the situation. (Picture courtesy: IE)

England Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced strong criticism earlier this month after he announced that wearing masks in public would no longer be a mandatory requirement. Both the opposition Labour Party, doctors and some unions criticised Johnson for his decision to remove masks from public transport, especially as cases continue to rise.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently said the chances of a fully vaccinated person contracting Covid-19 is low, and allowed American citizens to resume activities without wearing a mask or maintaining social distancing. However, while most people will not need to take precautions if they are vaccinated, it also depends on the situation. The CDC said that it would be best to talk to one’s doctor about the need to continue taking precautions in case one has health issues. It also suggested that parents of young children be more careful until their kids were vaccinated. The guidance will also depend on the country, local vaccination, and infection rates.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Dr. Soniya Gandhi said hotels were safe, adding that she thought there were individual personal factors that might sway one. Dr. Gandhi is associate chief medical officer at Cedars-Sinai Marina del Rey Hospital. Gandhi also suggested checking the infection and vaccination rates at the place one is visiting to help you decide the comfort level. If cases are low, one can feel confident about taking part in activities that would put them in direct contact with others such as dining out or using the gym.

Most of the big hotel chains in the US took steps to reduce the risk of infection during the pandemic and those protocols still remain in effect. Many hotels are offering contactless check-in, breakfast items that have been prepackaged instead of buffets. They are also stressing on frequent cleaning of common areas. Some hotels have also upgraded their air filtration systems, going to the extent of adding individual air purifiers to some rooms.

While some major hotel chains have completely removed the mask rule for fully vaccinated guests, others implement the rules by location. The employees, however, are still required to wear masks.