Maskless future arrives for vaccinated

Thursday afternoon, the coronavirus pandemic ended for about a third of America. Henceforth, says Dr. Rochelle Walensky of the CDC, the 117,647,439 people who have been fully vaccinated have been freed from wearing masks outdoors or indoors (which would seem to include everywhere) and from the six-foot social distancing. Let’s all have a round of applause, like the kind we used to have for health-care workers.

If you’re one of those millions who is two weeks past after completion of your shots, go ahead and burn or bury your mask or keep it on if you like, it doesn’t matter. You are protected. But, and this is a very big but, the other 213,801,842 Americans need to either get their second shot (36,338,873) or have their arm meet the needle. Otherwise, keep that mask on to shield yourself and others in this newly segregated society.

The two classes of people is at this point mostly by choice. The vaccine is safe for ages 12 and older and likely soon enough the age will drop to include everyone. Young kids should stay covered up indoors, but outdoors, the risk of transmission is negligible.

Joining the protected vaccinated minority, which we hope will rapidly become the majority, is simple. There are 80,000 locations to get the shot. Waits and lines are gone and there are all kinds of incentives, from cash to subway rides to food. And now the big incentive to show your face and get close up again. The incentive to save your life has always been there.

No one can be compelled to take a shot, but that time will come when the FDA grants regular approval as opposed to the emergency okay in place since November. There is nothing to fear and everything to gain. Get vaccinated today.