If you have been recently vaccinated, and wondering if you can catch a COVID-19 infection after one or both doses of vaccination, or if you can spread the Coronavirus to others after being vaccinated, then read on to find out more.
Breakthrough Infections
A person is considered fully vaccinated at about 2-3 weeks after receiving the second dose of a double-dose vaccine. Since none of the COVID-19 vaccines have 100% efficacy or 100% effectiveness, a small percentage of fully vaccinated individuals may develop symptomatic or asymptomatic infections with the novel Coronavirus.
A vaccine breakthrough infection is defined as the detection of COVID-19 infection in a person after 2-3 weeks of receiving the final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and is usually mild in nature.
Can You Still Transmit The Coronavirus After Being Vaccinated?
Scientists believe that COVID-19 vaccination reduces the transmission of Coronavirus from the vaccinated individual. However, it is difficult to confirm if vaccinated people are not spreading the virus.
Especially with COVID-19, people with asymptomatic and symptomatic infections can spread the disease. It can be a similar situation for a vaccinated person as well.
As per the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
“We are still learning how well vaccines prevent you from spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 to others, even if you do not have symptoms. Early data show that vaccines help keep people with no symptoms from spreading COVID-19.”
Scientists are also concerned about Coronavirus variants, and whether they may reduce the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, which could affect transmission of infection after vaccination.
Thus, it cannot be confirmed that a fully vaccinated person does not transmit Coronavirus to others. Even if you are vaccinated (partially or fully), continue to follow all COVID-19 related precautionary measures.
References:
1. Gavi.org. 2021. Mounting evidence suggests COVID vaccines do reduce transmission. How does this work?. [online] Available at: <https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/mounting-evidence-suggests-covid-vaccines-do-reduce-transmission-how-does-work> [Accessed 8 June 2021].
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2021. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). [online] Available at: <https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/science-briefs/fully-vaccinated-people.html> [Accessed 8 June 2021].
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