NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The weather looks great this weekend, and for many, it will be their first weekend out after getting vaccinated. On top of that, Easter services will bring together groups in churches.
But doctors say if you’ve just been vaccinated for the first time this week, you’re not there yet.
"When you’re going into public spaces -- whether that’s for religious service or otherwise -- we have to continue to take some precautions to protect ourselves and those around us," said Dr. David Aronoff with Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Several mid-state churches say they’ll continue COVID protocols, like social distancing and even outdoor services.
But health officials say they’re worried that particularly younger people, who may have just got their first vaccine dose this week, may now become overconfident and want to celebrate this weekend.
"It is really tempting once you get vaccinated to say, 'Great, I got my shot, I’m good to go, I don’t need to worry about masks or social distance or anything like that,' but the immune system doesn’t turn on that quickly," Aronoff said. "In fact, after we get an injection of a vaccine it takes a week or two for our immune system to really have a chance to make the antibodies that are protective for us."
A reminder, health officials say, that you can still get COVID even in the days after getting your first vaccine if you’re still not careful.
