What Are the Chances of Getting COVID After Getting the Vaccine?

As the COVID-19 vaccines become more readily available to the public, many wonder if it is still possible to get the virus after they are vaccinated. It can be challenging to provide an answer that is 100% accurate since we are still in the early vaccine administration stages. While there is no hard data to give a clear answer, experts suggest that the chances of getting COVID and spreading it to others after receiving the vaccine are small.

According to reports from infectious disease researchers, it is likely that the vaccine doesn’t prevent the spread of the virus. However, it may reduce the length of time a person sheds the virus if they have it. This information has left many people wondering if a vaccinated individual exposed to the coronavirus could pass it on to others.

How Does the COVID-19 Vaccine Work?

In theory, the COVID vaccine can help our bodies create antibodies that will fight off infections. However, while this is happening, the vaccinated individual could still spread the virus to others if exposed to COVID while the antibodies are being created. That is similar to how the flu vaccine works.

There is still a lot that we do not know about COVID and the effectiveness of the vaccine. Recent animal data shows that the vaccine will lessen the time for viral shedding to four days. But during those four days, the person may still be infectious.

In other words, if you are exposed to the virus after getting the vaccine, the shot will not kill or destroy the COVID virus. Instead, it trains your body to fight it off and keeps you from getting sick.

Therefore, since the vaccine doesn’t destroy the virus, it is possible that a vaccinated individual could continue to spread COVID. That is why we must continue to practice social distancing, wear masks, and wash our hands often, even after many people have been vaccinated. Experts also suggest that if your workplace offers testing, you should still participate even after getting the shot.

What Do We Know For Sure About the COVID Vaccine?

We know that the vaccine takes effect around 14 days after the first dose. Following the second dose, it extends the protection duration, but no one is certain how much, if any, the second vaccination improves protection level.

While there are still many unanswered questions about the vaccines currently available to us, we know that it will prevent those who receive them from getting sick with coronavirus. According to the CDC, the vaccine helps our bodies become immune to the virus without actually getting the virus. There are different types of vaccines that work in different ways. However, with all vaccines, our bodies are left with memory T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes that help our bodies remember how to fight off the virus later on.

While we are unsure if the vaccine will prevent the spreading of the virus, experts believe that as more people are vaccinated, the spread of COVID will begin to slow. Until more studies are conducted and more time has passed after the first vaccines have been administered, we should continue to wear masks and practice the same safety habits to ensure we remain safe and healthy.

Find Out More About the COVID-19 Vaccine

To learn more about where to get a COVID vaccine, its side effects, and how effective it will be, get in touch with the medical professionals at BASS Primary Care today. We will do our best to address any questions or concerns you may have. Give us a call today at (925) 962-9120 for more information.

‍