In a retirement and nursing center in Germany, 14 seniors recently contracted the British Corona variant despite being vaccinated twice. Such events raise the question of how well the Covid -19 vaccine actually protects and whether one can continue to infect others despite vaccination.
The example shows that infection is possible, as the effect of the vaccination is not 100%. However, it has also been shown that none of the seniors experienced a severe course of infection, which is an indication of the immunization effect of the vaccination.
“95% effective” – what does that mean?
The Pfizer/Biontech vaccine has a 95 percent effectiveness rate. This does not mean that 19 out of 20 people who get vaccinated are completely protected from the virus. The data refers to a study in which a certain number of people were vaccinated. No infection was detected in 95 percent of those vaccinated, and 5 percent contracted the virus despite vaccination. Thus, the vaccination is “95 percent effective.” Another important factor of vaccination is that it can prevent severe courses of Covid – 19.
Since infection cannot be ruled out despite a reduced risk of infection, it is important to wear a mask even after vaccination and to observe distance and hygiene rules.
