There seems to be fairly a little bit of confusion about what immunity means for the COVID-19 vaccines which can be in use within the U.S. and Europe. These are the 2 mRNA-based vaccines and the DNA-based vaccine.
With out stepping into the science behind my feedback, for these vaccines immunity implies that the one who has been vaccinated with each doses shall be protected in opposition to getting extreme COVID-19, the type that causes hospitalization and the necessity for synthetic air flow and probably leads to dying.
The query is: Can I get contaminated with the SARS-CoV2 coronavirus after getting the vaccine?
The reply is: YES!
Vaccinated individuals can nonetheless get contaminated with the virus that causes COVID-19, however their immune system will react in such a approach that extreme illness signs are prevented.
As a result of a vaccinated particular person can nonetheless get contaminated with the virus, she or he can nonetheless infect a nonvaccinated one who could possibly be somebody that will get extreme COVID-19 and winds up within the hospital and even dies. [UPDATE 7 April 2021: The vaccines reduce transmission. So, this is less worrisome than previously thought. See Vaccine Effectiveness Against Severe COVID-19 and Transmission ]
Which means that vaccinated individuals must maintain carrying their masks when in public. The vaccinated particular person nonetheless want to guard different unvaccinated individuals from the potential of contracting the virus.
The one probably secure time to not put on a masks within the presence of others is that if all of the individuals current have obtained each doses of a vaccine in opposition to SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Even then, if one of many vaccinated individuals current is contaminated with the virus, this particular person may infect the opposite vaccinated individuals current. A few of whom will get sick, they’re simply not prone to get severely sick from COVID-19. Critically, the publicity of vaccinated people to different vaccinated people who’re infectious with the virus may result in the an infection of not solely the vaccinated particular person however others who haven’t been vaccinated and who come into shut contact with the vaccinated and now contaminated particular person.
So, even in case you have obtained each doses of the vaccine, maintain carrying your masks to guard the unvaccinated from you. You would nonetheless transmit the virus to another person. You would be similar to the asymptomatic individuals who go on to contaminate somebody who then develops extreme COVID-19.
The vaccines defend in opposition to getting extreme COVID-19, not in opposition to getting contaminated with SARS-CoV2.
Get vaccinated as quickly as you’re eligible however maintain carrying a masks to guard others. Simply since you received the vaccine and now gained’t get sick with COVID-19 doesn’t imply that you may’t get somebody you come into contact with critically sick with COVID-19. [Update 7 April 2021: The data show that you are much less likely to transmit the virus if you do have asymptomatic COVID-19 after being vaccinated.]
