What do we know about how long the vaccine provides immunity for?

[chlobo]

I'm curious. Since its still unknown if the vaccine protects against transmission, are people told to still wear a mask when they get vaccinated? I'm imaging people so fatigued that once they are vaccinated they must throw off their masks and run through the streets. I wouldn't, but I'm very conservative.

[o_mom]

Has anyone heard anything about what happens if someone is only able to get the 1st dose? What kind of immunity might that confer?

I saw this today which has some information. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/2...e-vaccine-dose

Basically - probably provides a decent level of protection, but not as much as 2 doses we don't know for how long.

It is a dilemma that I'm sure will be the subject of many research papers - better to get twice as many people one dose in hopes of reaching some level of herd-immunity, or two doses in half the people?

[twowhat?]

This is what worries me about the vaccine. People SCRAMBLING to get vaccinated...and I think a lot of those people want to be vaccinated so they can toss the mask and get back to normal. Big fat NO. We know the vaccine prevents severe disease. We DON'T know that the vaccine makes a person less likely to transmit the virus. If anything, it could make an infected person more likely to be asymptomatic, which in turn might INCREASE their likelihood of transmitting to others due to a false sense of security about not needing to mask/distance.

We know the vaccine protects the person vaccinated. So it could be selfishly disastrous if those who got vaccinated just tossed the masks and threw their arms in the air and yelled "WHEEEEE I'M FREEEE". Omg...the thought makes me sick to my stomach!

Now...in the future we may have data on the available vaccines and whether they prevent people from being contagious. But right now we don't have that data.

[gatorsmom]

This is what worries me about the vaccine. People SCRAMBLING to get vaccinated...and I think a lot of those people want to be vaccinated so they can toss the mask and get back to normal. Big fat NO. We know the vaccine prevents severe disease. We DON'T know that the vaccine makes a person less likely to transmit the virus. If anything, it could make an infected person more likely to be asymptomatic, which in turn might INCREASE their likelihood of transmitting to others due to a false sense of security about not needing to mask/distance.

We know the vaccine protects the person vaccinated. So it could be selfishly disastrous if those who got vaccinated just tossed the masks and threw their arms in the air and yelled "WHEEEEE I'M FREEEE". Omg...the thought makes me sick to my stomach!
.

I guarantee you that this is exactly what is going to happen. People are so tired of being locked down, distancing, wearing masks that they feel getting a vaccination means life will return to normal for them. I can also hear them say, “if I am vaccinated and can’t get sick, then how can I infect others?” I’m already starting to hear this from people we know. I honestly don’t think it’s because people are selfish (well, not completely) but rather that they don’t understand. And if the information isn’t clearly communicated to them, they are tired and don’t want to believe it or dont know who they can believe,then they will have doubts and make their own determination about safety. The masks are coming off.

[essnce629]

I guarantee you that this is exactly what is going to happen. People are so tired of being locked down, distancing, wearing masks that they feel getting a vaccination means life will return to normal for them. I can also hear them say, “if I am vaccinated and can’t get sick, then how can I infect others?” I’m already starting to hear this from people we know. I honestly don’t think it’s because people are selfish (well, not completely) but rather that they don’t understand. And if the information isn’t clearly communicated to them, they are tired and don’t want to believe it or dont know who they can believe,then they will have doubts and make their own determination about safety. The masks are coming off.

I have the same thoughts. I have one HS friend who is an ICU nurse and posted on FB after she got each Covid vaccine dose. Both times she got lots of comments saying "party at your house" and she was like "yes!" Now obviously that's a big problem!

I got my teeth cleaned last week and the hygienist said that the dentist was the only one in the office who had managed to get the vaccine yet since lots of places don't consider dental healthcare. When I was leaving he accidentally came out of his office without his mask on and quickly apologized. The whole office staff laughed and told him "you need to get that second dose before you can run around maskless" which is not accurate at all and could possibly put them all at risk.

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[chlobo]

I have the same thoughts. I have one HS friend who is an ICU nurse and posted on FB after she got each Covid vaccine dose. Both times she got lots of comments saying "party at your house" and she was like "yes!" Now obviously that's a big problem!

I got my teeth cleaned last week and the hygienist said that the dentist was the only one in the office who had managed to get the vaccine yet since lots of places don't consider dental healthcare. When I was leaving he accidentally came out of his office without his mask on and quickly apologized. The whole office staff laughed and told him "you need to get that second dose before you can run around maskless" which is not accurate at all and could possibly put them all at risk.

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My daughter and I had a conversation about the dentist this week and she was like "aren't they most at risk since they are working in people's mouths"? So smart. They should be vaccinated AND they should still mask up.

[mom2binsd]

Dentists and their staff were all included in the first group who got the vaccine from our local health dept, which has a great system set up.

CVS came to my nursing home on Thursday and we all got it, all staff and residents, as well as people like the podiatrist and social worker. The residents were are so happy to get it as were the staff.

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[StantonHyde]

The health system where I work, and where I got vaccinated, is telling us to still mask. They think the vaccine does not guard against "asymptomatic shedding". So I could have the virus in my nose and it won't make me sick, but if I sneeze and breather on other people, I can get them sick. Bottom line is that we have to get the vaccine rolled out faster. sigh...

[gatorsmom]

The health system where I work, and where I got vaccinated, is telling us to still mask. They think the vaccine does not guard against "asymptomatic shedding". So I could have the virus in my nose and it won't make me sick, but if I sneeze and breather on other people, I can get them sick. Bottom line is that we have to get the vaccine rolled out faster. sigh...

Ok, help me think this through. When more people get vaccinated, we will have herd immunity. Herd immunity is important for the most vulnerable folks that can’t get vaccinated (but, other than kids for now, who can’t get vaccinated?). But, even with the vaccinations, even with herd immunity, we will still be shedding the virus which means those who aren’t vaxed could get sick. Am I right? Which seems like it means that there isn’t really herd immunity. Vulnerable unvaxed folks will have to continue to stay home and try to isolate.

[twowhat?]

Ok, help me think this through. When more people get vaccinated, we will have herd immunity. Herd immunity is important for the most vulnerable folks that can’t get vaccinated (but, other than kids for now, who can’t get vaccinated?). But, even with the vaccinations, even with herd immunity, we will still be shedding the virus which means those who aren’t vaxed could get sick. Am I right? Which seems like it means that there isn’t really herd immunity. Vulnerable unvaxed folks will have to continue to stay home and try to isolate.

This is what we don't know, and what is worrisome to me as well. First, I think getting to "herd immunity" by % of people vaccinated is already a tall order (we will definitely be relying on % vaccinated as well as % who have had natural infection, at least at first.) And second, as you say, we don't know that being vaccinated prevents you from shedding/spreading virus which means yes, you could get an unvaxed person sick. Since we don't know the answer to this question, vaccinated individuals must continue to mask/distance. A problem definitely is those people who feel that being vaccinated means they can ditch the mask. I know a lot of it is lack of understanding, but I also think a lot of it is selfishness/denial. All of the vaccine providers here are trying to be very proactive in saying "YOU MUST CONTINUE TO MASK". But, there are enough selfish people who only care about themselves and feel that once they get the vaccine, they are less likely to get seriously ill, and ditch the mask and resume all the things they wanted to do before, potentially with even more gusto. Eat out! Travel! Go to parties! Gather! I think there are a TON of these selfish people. Yes, I have lost faith in humanity.

Anyway, vaccine studies ARE looking at this question. We just don't have an answer yet. I think that a likely scenario is that vaccinated people can still catch/spread the virus, but the amount of virus that they shed may be much less than in a natural infection...that's because the immune system is able to ramp up a faster and stronger response to the virus in a vaccinated person, which means the virus has less time to replicate in the body. It would make sense that these people would therefore shed less virus. And we do know that viral load is a factor contributing to how sick people can get - if you're around someone shedding virus, the less virus you're exposed to, the lower the viral load, and the less likely for you to get seriously ill. I'm being REALLY high level here because there are other factors at play (time, space, etc).

How this all plays out I feel is still up in the air. This new strain that spreads more easily is a little bit scary (fortunately it doesn't seem to cause more severe disease...but our hospitals are already overwhelmed). I totally agree that the bottom line still is that vaccines need to be rolled out as quickly as possible. The J&J vaccine is looking promising in early-phase studies, particularly that one-dose strategy. I have everything crossed that those data play out in their Phase 3 study...