(NBC 26) — According to the CDC, it takes one to two weeks for you to be protected against coronavirus after receiving the second COVID-19 mRNA dose. So once you're protected, what changes?
It is technically possible to become infected with the COVID-19 virus after being vaccinated. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is 95% effective against SARS-Cov-2, and Moderna's vaccine is 94.1% effective. As statistically great as that is, it still leaves room for transmission and infection. There is no research published yet that proves whether or not a vaccinated person could still be a contagious carrier for the COVID-19 virus.
Because of these factors, Dr. Daniel C. DeSimone, an infectious disease specialist at the Mayo Clinic, says that vaccinated people should still continue social distancing, wearing a mask and good hygiene.
The SARS-Cov-2 virus continues to mutate around the world, with cases of other variants present in Wisconsin. Research is ongoing regarding whether the main vaccines approved in the United States currently protect against developing variants.