Hoosier Doctor Warns Against Dropping Your Guard Once You Have Been Vaccinated, You Can Still Spread Virus

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STATEWIDE -- Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 doesn't mean you should stop taking precautions.

Community Health Network chief medical officer Ram Yeleti explains the vaccine keeps you from getting sick, but there's not enough data to confirm it keeps you from getting the virus at all. And if you have the virus, you can still transmit it to someone else.

Yeleti says until the U.S. gets to herd immunity or the vaccines are shown to block the virus completely, masks and social distancing will still be recommended.

Yeleti says the vaccine does allow what he says is a much-needed opportunity to get out with other people again. If you've been vaccinated, he says you can probably safely give that long-delayed hug to your grandchildren. But he says masks are especially important if you're with people at high risk who haven't been vaccinated yet, or if you'll be going home to those people after gathering with others.

Yeleti says it takes about 10 days after the second vaccine dose for it to provide full protection.