On the 31st of December 2019, the first case of coronavirus was detected in Wuhan, China. Since then, this virus has spread globally and has been declared a global pandemic. This novel virus had researchers all over the world working day and night to develop a vaccine that can help end this pandemic. Alas, on the 31st of December 2020, the first vaccine by Pfizer&BioNTech was given the approval to be used as an emergency use listing (EUL). To date, 7 vaccines have been added to that list and a few more are yet to be approved. While vaccines have been proven to reduce the severity of the illness and the hospitalization rate, can they prevent you from contracting the infection? Read on to find out.
What is the purpose of vaccination?
The discovery of vaccines has revolutionized the medical field. It is simple, safe, and effective at protecting one from deathly diseases. This can be seen with the successful eradication of smallpox. There are many types of vaccines, which can be broadly divided into two – component viral vaccines and whole virus vaccines. Examples of component viral vaccines are DNA or RNA based, protein subunits, and non-replicating or replicating viral vector vaccines while whole virus vaccines are either inactivated or live-attenuated vaccines. Either way, they all have the same basic function, which is to form antibodies against a particular infective agent before coming into contact with them. When you are exposed to that infective agent, your body is able to identify and fight them before you get sick.
Has anyone gotten Covid-19 after being fully vaccinated?
Breakthrough infections happen when a vaccinated individual is infected with the same pathogen they are vaccinated against. Breakthrough coronavirus infections have been reported globally because the Covid-19 vaccines (vaksin coronavirus) are not able to give 100% protection against the virus. Based on the Real-World Evaluation of Covid-19 Vaccines under the Malaysia National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (RECoVaM) study, the overall rate of breakthrough infections in this country is low with 1.30 cases for every 100 people. The breakthrough infection rate increases each day from the day of complete vaccination. This can be due to the reduced efficacy of the vaccine after a period of time. However, breakthrough coronavirus infections are more commonly seen with the delta variant of the virus, which is known to be more contagious than some of the other variants. The good news is that those who do get infected by this virus after complete vaccination have a mild to moderate illness and lower mortality and hospitalization rate.
Why should I get Covid-19 vaccination?
Following the use of the Covid-19 vaccines (vaksin coronavirus), it has been proven that vaccines can reduce the severity of illness and the risk of hospitalization. Current data showed a reduction in risk of ICU admission by 83% and a lower risk of death due to virus by 88%. In addition to that, it is also said to reduce the transmission rate of the virus. Studies have shown that in vaccinated individuals, antibodies against the virus are found in the mucosal membrane of the nose and the mouth. This means that the virus spread via air droplets during a sneeze or cough is coated with antibodies, making it less virulent.
In a nutshell, even if these vaccines are unable to make you completely immune to the virus, they can help protect you from severe infection and even death! If you do get infected after vaccination, the possibility of you transmitting the virus to your loved ones is low. Keep yourself and your loved ones safe by getting vaccinated today.
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