Building immunity takes time and the current estimation is two weeks after the second dose of the two-dose vaccine you will be considered “fully vaccinated.” It is still unknown the amount of time you will retain this immunity. Current discussions are ongoing to determine if a booster will be required, and, if so, at what point. As with most everything regarding this pandemic, we continue to learn and as new information becomes available, recommendations will be updated.
Current CDC recommendations have not necessarily changed after vaccination. They are focused on obtaining herd immunity and are recommending that post vaccine you continue to use all the tools available to help stop this pandemic. It is true that we have seen a dramatic downturn in the active cases among vaccinated individuals, but the CDC indicates there is more to learn about how COVID-19 vaccines work in the real-world conditions.
The recommendations for vaccinated individuals remain:
- Cover your mouth and nose when around others by wearing a mask
- Stay at least six feet away from others
- Avoid crowds
- Avoid poorly ventilated spaces
- Wash your hands often
Experts are also looking at how many people get vaccinated and how the virus is spreading in communities. It is still unknown whether getting a COVID-19 vaccine will prevent you from spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 to other people, even if you do not get sick yourself. The CDC will continue to update information on their website as they learn more.
Herd immunity means that enough people in a community are protected from getting a disease because they have already had the disease or because they have been vaccinated. Herd immunity makes it hard for the disease to spread from person to person, and it even protects those who cannot be vaccinated, like newborns or people who are allergic to the vaccine. The percentage of people who need to have protection to achieve herd immunity varies by disease.
Experts do not yet know what percentage of people would need to get vaccinated to achieve herd immunity to COVID-19. The CDC and other experts are studying herd immunity and will provide more information as it is available.
Together, COVID-19 vaccination and following the CDC’s recommendations for how to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from getting and spreading COVID-19. Additional information can be found at key things to know about the COVID-19 vaccine. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/keythingstoknow.html.
Resources: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/faq.html
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/expect/after.html