A study about Covid-19 has predicted how many lives could have been saved from the virus, by August 1, if the masks were worn regularly. The model prepared by the University of Washington Institute for Health Measurement and Evaluation (IHME) predicts that about 618,523 people died from coronavirus in the US during that period. If 95% of the American population were to wear masks, the forecast drops to 604,413 deaths, "rescuing" at least 14,000 people.
Wearing masks has been consistently mentioned as one of the best ways to protect against the virus and yet, the tendency to avoid it is observed in almost every state.
Dr. Anthonu Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in the US, says that "even if he is vaccinated, he does not think he would go to a closed, crowded place where people do not have masks."
But should we keep the mask after the vaccine?
According to The Guardian, vaccinated people should normally wear the mask because they may have "enough virus" to infect others. So if a vaccinated person breathes or sneezes, he or she can still infect the person nearby. On the other hand, vaccinated people can also "protect" uninfected people, as they themselves somewhat reduce the chances of (re) infection.
Source: CNN, Insider, The Guardian
