Feature

ID experts dole out practical advice to help with mask confusion


 

How to protect toddlers and infants

With masks not practical or recommended for infants and toddlers under 2 years old, Dr. Marrazzo said adults should remember that ‘’those very little kids don’t do poorly at all [even if infected], although there is not a ton of data.”

Adults should still treat young children as vulnerable, especially newborns. Adults not yet vaccinated should wear a mask when around them, she said.

J & J vaccine recipients

With less ‘’real world” data on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, should those who got it think of themselves in a different risk group than those who got Moderna or Pfizer and adjust their behavior accordingly?

“The J&J vaccine, based on everything we know, does provide a great deal of protection,” Dr. Marrazzo said. ‘’We don’t know as much about prevention of transmission in the asymptomatic cases in the J&J.”

Most of that data, she said, is from the mRNA vaccines Pfizer and Moderna. “I think it’s an important area to study and learn about.” But all three vaccines, overall, provide a high level of protection, she said.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Pages

Recommended Reading

What to know about COVID-19 vaccines and skin reactions
MDedge ObGyn
Reassuring data on impact of mild COVID-19 on the heart
MDedge ObGyn
CDC recommends use of Pfizer’s COVID vaccine in 12- to 15-year-olds
MDedge ObGyn
Canned diabetes prevention and a haunted COVID castle
MDedge ObGyn
CDC: Vaccinated? You don’t need a mask indoors
MDedge ObGyn
Among asymptomatic, 2% may harbor 90% of community’s viral load: Study
MDedge ObGyn
Dr. Fauci: Extraordinary challenges, scientific triumphs with COVID-19
MDedge ObGyn
New guidance for those fully vaccinated against COVID-19
MDedge ObGyn
Mother-to-infant COVID-19 transmission is unlikely
MDedge ObGyn
A new take on breathing and a performance-enhancing placebo
MDedge ObGyn