TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Will you still wear a mask?
Are you vaccinated?
Questions that you could say define our time.
Dr. Jessica Lane, from Desert Pediatrics, spoke with KGUN9 about the profiles of people in our brave new world and what risk, if any, each of them pose to you or themselves.
First, there's the vaccinated and masked.
"There is really very, very, very minimal risk of contracting or passing on COVID-19 in that situation and you are protecting yourself and protecting others from passing other viruses," she said.
Next, there's the vaccinated and unmasked.
"A fully vaccinated person not wearing a mask is safe. It's very unlikely that that fully vaccinated person is going to contract COVID-19. It is also very unlikely that that person is going to pass COVID-19 to others."
On to unvaccinated and masked.
"They're in the situation that we were all in before vaccines were available."
Finally, the unmasked and unvaccinated.
"Unmasked, unvaccinated individual is definitely at very high risk, both for contracting coronavirus and for spreading it."
Behavioral therapist Diane Ryan said your decision to wear a mask, or not, ultimately comes down to personal choice and what makes you feel safe.
"You don't feel completely invulnerable but at least it really does make you feel a lot safer. The people that are really happy and are thrilled to stop wearing a mask because they've found it to be intrusive or inconvenient."
Dr. Lane said you're best protected and protecting others if you can get vaccinated.
"You'll be able to return to more normal life activities, you'll be protecting those around you, you'll be protecting yourself."
