Disinfecting and Sanitizing After a COVID-19 Vaccine
To this day, over 60% of the total population in Canada have received at least one dose of one
of the approved vaccines against COVID-19, which are available for free to everyone in the
country. These long-awaited immunizations have proven to be safe, high quality, and
effective in protecting people from contracting or developing complications from the virus, so
it makes sense that many people wonder if they can stop practicing social distancing,
wearing masks, disinfecting, and sanitizing after a COVID-19 vaccine. And the answer is no.
The Government of Canada explains that even when enough people are vaccinated, cases are
down, and restrictive public health measures are lifted, “COVID-19 won’t be eliminated. You’ll
still need to follow some public health measures like physical distancing and wearing a
mask.”
Read More: Understanding the COVID-19 Variants
For this reason, cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing spaces will be always important, and not
just because of COVID-19, but because there will always be other viruses like the common
cold, the flu (influenza), or chickenpox circulating in the air or present in high-touch surfaces
long enough to spread. Proper disinfection is the best way to completely protect our family
and ourselves from contaminants.
COVID-19 Vaccines
In Canada, AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD, Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), Moderna, and Pfizer-
BioNTech are the are four COVID-19 vaccines that have been approved, but not all of them are
available in all areas of the country. Additionally, there are other vaccines currently under
review or under clinical trials.
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) vaccine, developed as
Tozinameran or BNT162b2 by the German biotechnology company BioNTech in collaboration
with Pfizer Inc, the American pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation. It is approved
for people who are 12 years of age and older. It was first authorized by Health Canada in early
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