COVID-19 vaccinations are being delivered at record speeds – but you shouldn't throw away your face mask just yet.
Despite 4,973,248 receiving their first doses and 464,036 people having a second, health experts are urging people to keep their mouth and nose covered – even if they've received a jab – for the foreseeable future.
? Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
Do I still need to wear a face mask after getting the Covid vaccine?
It would be tempting once you've had your coronavirus jab to dance out of the hospital or GP practise and throw your mask in the bin.
But actually, you are still susceptible to getting Covid-19 for a little while after your jab.
Everyone needs two doses, 21 days apart, in order to get the maximum protection against the disease.
The trials of some 43,000 people showed the immune system had a robust response to the virus 28 days after the second dose.
Some protection is built up between the two doses, after around two weeks.
What are the current rules on face masks?
Rules on face masks have been toughened up to curb the spread of coronavirus in recent weeks, with supermarkets clamping down against shoppers who are not covered up.
And there have been calls for face coverings to be made mandatory in more public places, such as at market stalls and on the high streets.
There are some places where you must wear a face covering by law, unless you are exempt.
You can find out more about the different rules in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales on the regional websites.
In England, face masks must be worn on public transport and in stations or airports, shopping centres and places of worship.
Transport for London officers can issue fines of £200 (reduced to £100 if paid within 14 days) if people are not wearing masks.
And repeat offenders will have their fines doubled at each offence, reaching up to a maximum of £6,400.
Can I mix with friends and family after getting the Covid vaccine?
On Tuesday, the Government said that having the vaccine would not allow people to stop social distancing or wearing masks.
This is because it is still unclear whether the jab prevents transmission, so they may still infect others.
Masks are highly effective at stopping viral particles from spreading from you to the people around you.
They catch respiratory droplets from coughing, sneezing and talking, the main way the virus passes between people.
When will I get the Covid vaccine?
Omni's vaccine queue calculator will estimate for you how many people are ahead of you in the queue to get a Covid vaccine in the UK.
It also predicts how long you might have to wait to get your first and then second dose.
All you need to do is enter your age, job and if you have a health condition.
It's based on the Government's priority list and the likely rate of vaccination.
The tool assumes that one million people will be vaccinated in a week, which would take just over two years to vaccinate everyone.
Adjusting this to two million per week would mean everyone is innoculated in a year.
At the current pace, 1.5 million people are being vaccinated per week, based on the number of doses given in the week January 11 to January 18.
Omni also predicts 70 per cent of people accept their jab offer, based on flu vaccine uptake, but in reality this could be lower.
Source: Read Full Article