The White House Says It Won’t Disrupt Thanksgiving Celebrations

Is your family fully vaccinated? If yes, there is good news for you. You can happily celebrate thanksgiving without wearing a mask. The Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases testified in this regard before the Senate on Monday.

The White House Says It Won’t Disrupt Thanksgiving Celebrations

He plans to do the same with his family, he said. He confirmed the announcement when asked about it on a reputed news channel.  He observed that children aged 5-11 are now eligible to receive the vaccination.

And they would have been fully inoculated by Christmas. He, however, has a serious warning. When around people whose vaccination status is unknown, you have to mask up, even indoors. You may also get tested whenever you want. But that is never going to replace vaccination. If you are fully vaccinated, you can interact with the vaccinated members of your family without any worry.

The comment comes in the wake of a scenario when the country is preparing to face a holiday season during the pandemic. At present, those above the age of 5 are eligible to get inoculated. But a significant portion of the population eligible for the same remains unvaccinated even now.

As per the data CDC released on Friday, 59% of the country’s vaccine-eligible population is fully protected. But 26% is yet to get even the first dose. Most of the deaths that had happened in 2021 are from among those unvaccinated, point out experts.

Over 1000 people die every year. And most of them are unprotected. Those, according to them, could have been avoided. If everyone was vaccinated in the country, up to 100000 deaths could have been prevented.

The weekly average of vaccination this week has increased to a great extent; up to 36%. This is mostly because of the extension of the vaccination eligibility to young children.

Who is fully vaccinated?

Experts also point out the recent difference in the definition of ‘fully vaccinated’. The US FDA has authorized booster doses of vaccine for all adults; to everyone who has received the Pfizer and Moderna shots before six months or earlier. It had been announced earlier that those who had received the J&J shots should receive the booster after two months.

At present, the definition of “fully vaccinated” is unchanged; those who have received the two-dose regimen of the Moderna and Pfizer shot and those who received the single dose shot of Johnson & Johnson. The concern is not the efficacy of the vaccines. All the vaccines authorized in the country work against Coronavirus. The only question is the duration of vaccine-induced immunity.

Experts are now evaluating how long the immunity booster doses offer last. They plan to monitor those who have received the same.  Science will guide the country in this regard. Frequent changes in guidelines don’t have to deter anyone. Getting vaccinated is of utmost importance in the months ahead. The country does not anticipate an increase of COVID 19 cases this winter.

If you are eligible to get inoculated and decide against it, you pose a risk to everyone; to your family, your loved ones, and to the country at large. You are a cause of concern even among those vaccinated. No vaccine offers full-proof protection.

The circulation of the virus is still quite high in the country. And that is the reason for breakthrough infections. If you are not protected, get inoculated at the earliest available opportunity. And if six months have passed after vaccination, get boosted. The same, as mentioned above, is two months for the J&J vaccine. You may end up getting infected even after you get fully inoculated. But breakthrough infections are mild in general. And you won’t need hospitalization to recover from these mild symptoms.