We’ve heard that four Congress people have tested positive for coronavirus after sheltering in place during the siege with Republicans who refused to wear masks – even when asked. One of the people who tested positive, Representative Adriano Espaillat D-NY, received his second dose of the Pfizer vaccine last week. He tweeted that he’s isolating and that he’s not experiencing symptoms, which is consistent with what we’ve heard from studies. People may still test positive for coronavirus after being vaccinated, but they’re asymptomatic or only have mild symptoms. It’s unclear whether people who have received the shots can transmit it to others, making mask-wearing still important. People Magazine has an explainer for how long immunity takes with both of the approved vaccines. It’s about five to six weeks to reach 95% immunity after the first shot, as long as you get the second shot on time. Their expert emphasizes that we still need to wear masks after getting vaccinated.

How much protection does each dose provide?
After one dose of either Pfizer or Moderna’s vaccine, a person has around 50 percent immunity to COVID-19, and the second dose brings it up to about 95 percent.

Is each dose immediately effective?
Not quite — the body needs time to build up its response.

“Your immune system starts to kick in, but to really get to the peak efficacy that we all know as 95 percent, it’s going to take two weeks after your second dose,” Bristow says. That means that people who get the Pfizer vaccine can expect to be at 95 percent immunity five weeks after their first injection, and those with Moderna will reach that point six weeks later.

Can you still get COVID-19 after a first or second dose of a vaccine?
Yes, because “your protection doesn’t happen immediately,” she says. “It’s going to take two doses in time to get to the 95 percent efficacy. And especially after the first dose, it’s not going to happen immediately that you are then protected from symptomatic COVID.”

That’s why there are reports of people contracting COVID-19, even after getting their first dose of a vaccine.

“It’s been frustrating seeing those stories from a science communication standpoint, because those are happening within the first week of someone getting their first dose,” Bristow says.

Can I stop wearing a mask and see friends and family again after I’m fully vaccinated?
Unfortunately, not yet.

“We need to keep wearing masks to protect the people around us,” Bristow says. “There’s still a question of if the vaccine stops transmission of COVID, or just stops people from getting symptomatic COVID. That’s something that is being looked at right now, so we want to operate under the assumption, just out of pure safety, that vaccinated people could still get asymptomatic COVID and spread it to others.”

[From People]

Honestly I’m reporting on this because I want to focus on the fact that vaccines are coming and relief is in sight. My mom got vaccinated this week (she had to wait five hours in her car in Florida) and some of my friends who are frontline workers have been vaccinated. Biden’s speech last night gave me so much hope that they’re fast tracking the rollout. I keep telling myself that I’ll be able to get vaccinated in about two months and that I just need to hang in there. I know it will be another few weeks to achieve immunity, but I’m ok with that.

Every time I go out, without fail, I see people without masks indoors. It’s stressful and anxiety-inducing and I am considering having my groceries delivered until I’m vaccinated. The new mutation is so much more contagious and this is only going to get worse before it gets better. There’s hope though, and it will be a relief to go out in a fabric mask instead of double masking with a KN95 mask and a visor. This constant anxiety may stop, but I’m still going to mask up and wash my hands constantly. I’m also excited to see my friends and family again. I’m not one of those people who has a large “bubble.” I haven’t seen anyone in person except my son in months.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Joe Biden (@joebiden)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kamala Harris (@kamalaharris)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kamala Harris (@kamalaharris)