As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations creep up during a summer wave of heightened virus activity, updated vaccines are still likely weeks away.
Why it matters:
- Americans have largely tuned out COVID, but the latest COVID uptick is a reminder that the virus continues to circulate and mutate — though the threat is far below pandemic-era levels.
- Health officials face a challenge convincing a pandemic-fatigued public to get an updated COVID shot, as vaccine uptake has declined with each successive booster.
Thing is, the vaccine doesn’t protect you against infecting other people. This is a known fact, and common for vaccines. That is not the point of a vaccine. A vaccine prevents YOU from being majorly infected - in the way that your body can quickly deal with the infection, because it’s used to it. It doesn’t magically make you immune, and not able to infect anyone.
deleted by creator
deleted by creator
deleted by creator
The vaccine absolutely does protect you from infecting others. It reduces your risk of getting the illness, so if you’re not sick you’re not a disease vector. It reduces your viral load, so when you’re ill you shed less virus, so you’re less likely to infect to other people. It reduces the length of time you’re sick, so there’s a smaller window when you can infect people.
The vaccine absolutely does protect you from infecting others.