We are compounding an important public health policy mistake.
As the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, states and elected leaders declare an end to pandemic restrictions, paving the way back to “normal,” there’s a presumption that vaccinated adults can safely be around one another with neither masks nor social distancing. But, based on all we know, this behavior could put children at risk. While vaccinated people are much safer than those who are not, they may still contract and spread the virus. We have only a hint about how often this might occur. A recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine followed 417 fully vaccinated employees of Rockefeller University for eight weeks and found two infections. Extend the follow up time and account for the small size of the study and these findings are consistent with 3% or more becoming infected in the six-month window after vaccination. To read the full story.