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Getting vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine is a sign you care for yourself and others in the community.
Congratulations and thank you!! You’re fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.
But what’s next?
Getting vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine is a sign you care for yourself and others in the community.
We are slowly but surely inching towards our normal pre pandemic times. But until we get there, we will need to keep our guards up and brace every threat the virus throws at us with caution and medical advice.
Why You Must Still Take Safety Precautions Even When Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19
The current COVID-19 vaccines available in the US and manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna provide “effective immunity” and not “sterilizing immunity.”
Most vaccines like the hepatitis B vaccine or the recent COVID-19 vaccine provide “effective immunity” or effective protection against future infection. It shields you from serious illnesses and complications due to COVID-19, _but it doesn’t ensure complete protection from the virus and its transmission. _
In contrast, the HPV vaccine provides “sterilizing immunity,” i.e., a strong immune response that eliminates the virus from your body and prevents it from getting reinfected. _You can no longer get the virus with vaccines that have “sterilizing immunity.” _
Because the current COVID-19 vaccines provide “effective immunity,” medical experts recommend that fully vaccinated individuals continue to follow the mandated COVID-19 safety protocols.
Also, there are no scientific studies with conclusive evidence on transmission post the COVID-19 vaccination, although _recent studies seem to suggest that the COVID-19 is effective in reducing the transmission rate. _
In the words of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Chief Medical Advisor to the President of the United States:
“The looming question is, if the person who’s been vaccinated gets infected, does that person have the capability to transmit it to another person?
The answer lies in the latest scientific study reports that have been encouraging.
A recent UK study report on the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine confirms that it reduces the transmission of some variants of SARS-CoV-2 by 86-90%, a week after the second dose.
A similar study found that the Moderna vaccine cuts the coronavirus transmission by at least 61% after the first dose.
Another study conducted by The Lancet showed evidence of the COVID-19 vaccine preventing people from falling sick and the effectiveness of the vaccine in reducing asymptomatic transmission. Similar research conducted by UK researchers published in Clinical Infectious Diseases corroborated the findings by The Lancet.
Various similar research findings have demonstrated how the COVID-19 vaccine enables people to become less infectious, thereby reducing transmission risk.
On the other hand, please also take into consideration the rapid, widespread transmission of new variants of the coronavirus in many countries. In addition, the lack of vaccination in certain age groups, such as children below 12 year, means that there are vulnerable populations and we don’t know enough about the efficacy of the vaccine against the new variants. The CDC states: “Early data show the vaccines may work against some variants but could be less effective against others.”
If you’re fully vaccinated against COVID-19, here are some safety precautions to follow as you enjoy the benefits of the normal pre pandemic life.
The latest reports by the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety have confirmed mild to moderate influenza-like symptoms in people post the COVID-19 vaccination. The side effects of the second dose may be more severe than the first dose. It is an indication of your body working to build its immunity.
Some common side effects after getting a COVID vaccine are:
The side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are normal and should get resolved in 2-3 days. Some people do not experience any side effects, while some have reported that it affects their ability to conduct their daily activities.
Individuals below 55 years and women are more likely to experience side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine. 79.1% of women reported mild side effects as per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) latest research in their analysis of the first 13.7 million COVID-19 vaccines administered in the USA. The increased side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine in women may be due to greater immunity responses or it could simply be because women are more likely to report reactions when compared to men.
However, the CDC has stated that the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine far outweigh any risks.
Consult your family care doctor if the symptoms affect your daily life activities and about taking over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen or Tylenol. If you have to take any pain relievers, take them after you get vaccinated and with your doctor’s recommendation and never before taking the COVID-19 vaccination.
If the side effects are persistent after three or four days, please inform your doctor, and report at the facility where you got the COVID-19 vaccine. Your report will help monitor, track, and evaluate the efficacy and performance of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Watch out for any immediate allergic reactions, which typically occur within 4 hours after getting the COVID-19 vaccination. You may experience symptoms such as swelling, hives, and wheezing.
If you develop an allergic reaction after getting the COVID-19, consider its intensity. In case of a severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis, you will need to seek emergent medical care and may be treated with epinephrine or an EpiPen© and may need to be hospitalized. If you have developed a severe allergic reaction after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, call 911 for immediate medical care.
As per the CDC, if you have developed an allergic reaction after taking the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, then you should not take the second dose even if the reaction was not severe. Consult your doctor regarding the next course of action.
If you are allergic to any ingredient in the COVID-19 vaccine, consult your doctor about the best options available for you.
The CDC recommends you get vaccinated if you have a history of allergies unrelated to vaccines and injectable medications.
Stay up-to-date with both the latest CDC and local or state public health department guidelines on COVID-19 safety measures to ensure you follow the necessary steps.
Vaccination will lower the COVID-19 risks but does entirely eliminate such risks. So, continue to follow our simple precautionary safety tips listed in this article once you’ve fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to stop its transmission and protect yourself.
Stay safe, healthy, and trust science.
(Disclaimer: We routinely draw upon public health resources to inform our write-ups. Information in this article may be drawn up from multiple public health sources, including:
Dr. Arun Villivalam is a general practitioner and primary care doctor serving the communities of Los Gatos, Campbell, and Saratoga, CA.
