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A resident gets vaccinated in Abu Dhabi. Picture used for illustrative purposes only. Image Credit: Courtesy SEHA
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Dubai: Does getting vaccinated mean you cannot get infected by COVID-19 again? And can you infect others?

Gulf News raised these reader queries with Dr Farida Al Hosani, Department Manager, Communicable Diseases in Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre and Official Spokesperson for Health Sector in the UAE.

“COVID-19 vaccination is an important measure to help stopping the pandemic. However, combination of getting vaccinated and following all the precautionary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will offer the best protection from COVID-19 virus,” she told gulfnews.com.

COVID-19 vaccination is an important measure to help stopping the pandemic. However, combination of getting vaccinated and following all the precautionary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will offer the best protection from COVID-19 virus.

- Dr Farida Al Hosani, Department Manager, Communicable Diseases in Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre and Official Spokesperson for Health Sector in the UAE

In a post shared by the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre on its official social media channels on February 18, Dr Farida spoke about how COVID-19 vaccines significantly reduce the risk and prevent serious complications.

“The COVID-19 vaccines do not completely eliminate the possibility of infection, but they greatly reduce the risk of infection and transmission. They also reduce severe complications resulting from the virus. Therefore, a small percentage of people may still get infected without experiencing any symptoms or with the presence of mild symptoms. So, we must adhere to the precautionary measures such as wearing face masks and maintaining physical distancing, even after taking the vaccine.”

So, does that mean I need to take the vaccine regularly, like flu shots?

Dr Farida explained: “There are no final studies showing for how long COVID-19 vaccine immunity can protect the body. However, it is important to have the two doses of the vaccine to get the optimal vaccine effectiveness. It is also important to continue following all the precautionary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Experts will decide on the periodicity of COVID-19 vaccination upon implementation based on up-to-date reviewed robust scientific data.”