Immediate health benefits of getting a COVID-19 vaccine

by Brianna Hoge

Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine can decrease the chances of catching COVID-19 by

a remarkable percentage. Suzanne Judd, Ph.D., professor in the UAB School of
Public Health, notes that getting a vaccine is much more likely to protect one’s health
than masking or social distancing.  

“The clinical trial data has demonstrated the vaccines reduce the rate of COVID by
90 percent. That is huge,” Judd said. “Our best interventions to slow case
transmission in 2020 were social interventions like masking and distancing, which
resulted in only a 20 percent to 60 percent reduction in COVID, depending on where
and how implemented.”

Stopping the spread of COVID means slowing mutations of the virus too. Every time
the virus spreads to a new person, it has the chance to mutate. The vaccine gives us
a much better chance at getting COVID case levels to a manageable level so we
could see more places reopen and see the restrictions lessen.  

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if a person is
exposed to the coronavirus or a mutation of it, a fully vaccinated person — two
weeks after the second shot of Pfizer or Moderna, or single dose of the Johnson &
Johnson vaccine — is 94 percent less likely to be hospitalized compared to an
unvaccinated individual.

In addition to having a significantly lower risk of catching COVID, a vaccine could

help reduce long-term symptoms if you have already had COVID-19. According to
Judd, health professionals are hearing that some people with lingering COVID
symptoms see easing of symptoms following vaccination.  
https://www.uab.edu/news/youcanuse/item/12025-five-benefits-of-getting-a-covid-19-vaccine