Why You Still Need to Take Precautions after Your COVID Vaccine

With the vaccine rollout picking up speed around the world, many people are asking about the likelihood of contracting the virus even after vaccination. Though the existing coronavirus vaccines have impressive numbers as far as efficacy is concerned, no vaccine is ever going to be 100 percent effective against a virus. That said, the currently available vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech have very high numbers, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is also highly effective. So, can you still contract the virus between doses or after you are fully vaccinated? And if you can and do contract coronavirus anyway, what should you do?

Between Doses

Health experts are quite insistent that between doses (for the two vaccines that require two doses for full efficacy) you must maintain safe practices, such as wearing a mask when in contact with others, washing your hands frequently, and maintaining proper social distancing guidelines. This is because it is possible to contract coronavirus between doses of the vaccine when it has not yet achieved full efficacy.

If this happens to you, note that the guidelines are the same as those for people who have a coronavirus infection with symptoms and are not yet vaccinated. Essentially, you should remain in isolation until 10 days after your last fever or symptom if you have symptoms. With no symptoms but a positive coronavirus test, stay in isolation for 10 days following your last positive test.

If this happens to you, follow these guidelines, and if the isolation period overlaps with your scheduled second vaccination date, you should reschedule that appointment. A delay in receiving the second shot is likely not an issue, so simply go in for that second shot as soon as your quarantine period is up.

Can I Spread COVID-19 after Being Vaccinated?

Another cause for concern as vaccinations increase is whether fully vaccinated individuals could still spread the virus to those who are unvaccinated. The truth is that right now, there is not enough information to know for sure. The CDC notes that vaccinated individuals can still carry the virus without experiencing symptoms (asymptomatic infection), but the jury is still out on whether vaccinated individuals can spread the virus. There is some emerging evidence to indicate that vaccination is helping to slow the spread, but this research is quite limited. However, studies are still needed on individuals living with or working closely with people who are vaccinated. In the meantime, stay vigilant about protective measures and continue to mask and socially distance when in public.