Hispanics are among the least vaccinated in the US 0:40
(CNN Spanish) -
Vaccines, like medicines, do not offer 100% effectiveness.
That is why it is important that people who are already fully vaccinated behave as if they had not received them.
They also need to continue to implement public safety protocols such as wearing a mask, washing hands, and maintaining physical distancing.
Dr. Elmer Huerta explains why fully vaccinated people could develop covid-19.
You can listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform, or read the transcript below.
Hello, I am Dr. Elmer Huerta and this is your daily dose of information about the new coronavirus.
Information that we hope will be useful to take care of your health and that of your family.
Today we will see if it is possible that a person can develop covid-19 after having completed their vaccination.
Since the first COVID-19 vaccines began to be licensed in several countries in December 2020, public expectations have been enormous because many people believe that by getting vaccinated, they will be completely protected from infection by the virus and that they will save themselves from contracting the disease.
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Nothing further from reality.
Although it is true that the vaccine offers very great protection to those who receive it, the point is that no vaccine - like no medicine - is 100% effective, so some cases of disease may always occur, even in people fully vaccinated.
Vaccine efficacy is not 100%
The fact is that even when it came to figuring out the effectiveness of vaccines in controlled phase 3 studies, it had already been documented that some fully vaccinated people could get COVID-19, which contributes to the effectiveness of vaccines never being 100%.
LEE: Covid-19 reinfections are rare, but more common in people 65 years of age or older, study finds
But now that vaccines have begun to be administered by the millions in real life, which, as we saw in the episode of March 4, studies the effectiveness of the vaccine, journalistic reports of people who have developed covid- 19 after you received your two doses of vaccines from Pfizer or Moderna.
In this regard, an analysis of 523,000 people who received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine in Israel, found that 544 of them, or 0.1%, were infected with the new coronavirus and developed covid-19.
Of these 544 people, 15 required hospitalization: eight in mild condition, three in moderate condition and four in severe condition.
No person died.
Why are those vaccinated against covid-19 reinfected?
The reason these infections occur is not because the virus overcomes defenses or destroys the antibodies produced by the vaccine, but rather that - like many biological functions in humans - the response to vaccines is uneven in everybody.
LEE: Antibodies against covid-19 may protect against subsequent reinfection, study suggests
While it is true that most people make effective antibodies to neutralize the virus, other people may make less effective antibodies and infection occurs.
Aside from the studies in Israel, there are no official statistics yet on the true frequency with which infections occur in vaccinated people in the United States.
The importance of maintaining public safety protocols
What is certain is that, due to the possibility of developing COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated, it is important that people who have already completed their vaccine doses behave as if they had not received them.
Let us also remember that it has always been said that the vaccine is not the only solution against this pandemic, and in that sense, continuing to wear masks, continuing to maintain a physical distance of two meters with other people, taking care of the hygiene of hands and surfaces, and avoiding organizing or attending events where - as we saw in the March 9 episode - not everyone is vaccinated, it should remain the norm.
READ: CDC publishes long-awaited guide for people who are already fully vaccinated against covid-19
And finally, until we know the true impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants, the possibility of becoming infected after vaccination is higher than ever.
Remember, vaccines are not made to completely prevent the development of the disease, but to minimize — but not completely — the likelihood of getting sick.
Do you have questions about the coronavirus?
Send me your questions on Twitter, we will try to answer them in our next episodes.
You can find me at @Drhuerta.
If you think this podcast is helpful, help others find it by rating and reviewing it on your favorite podcast app.
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And for the most up-to-date information, you can always head over to CNNEspanol.com.
Thanks for your attention.
If you have any questions you can send them to Dr. Elmer Huerta through Twitter. You can also head over to CNNE.com/coronaviruspodcast for all episodes of our “Coronavirus: Reality vs. Reality” podcast. fiction".
Covid-19 Vaccines