MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) Health officials in Minnesota are looking into positive cases of COVID-19 after someone was completely vaccinated.
These types of infections are called ‘breakthrough cases’. The Minnesota Department of Health says it is important to detect positive cases 14 days or longer after a second vaccination. This can help the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to better understand the length of immunity to the vaccines.
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Karla was relieved when her 79-year-old mother, Sharon, received her second dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine on February 10th. Thirteen days later, she tested positive for the virus after feeling unwell.
“I was really worried about her,” Karla said. “She had a sore throat and cough, and I’m like, ‘Mom, you have to go test for COVID. ”
Within days she was feeling well. New data suggests that humans are well protected after their first dose of Pfizer vaccine, and about 95% effective after the second dose, according to Kris Ehresmann of MDH.
“The vaccine is 95% effective, which means that theoretically out of the 100 people vaccinated, there could be five who do not have the same response to provide protection,” Ehresmann said.
MDH sent advice to healthcare providers this week asking them to look for people who are positive for COVID 14 days after completing the second dose, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic.
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Although Sharon’s case is not considered a vaccine breakthrough, as her positive test came before her second dose before the second week’s cut, health officials say it’s a reminder to keep taking precautions .
“You still have to mask, you still have to make sure you give up socially and consider the mitigation guidelines we’ve been talking about for the past year,” Ehresmann said.
Karla says she is thankful that her mother had only mild symptoms.
“It is possible that if she had not had the vaccine, it could have been a completely different story,” she said.
MDH says they have confirmed 14 breakthrough cases of COVID in Minnesota. All were in health care workers and were only tracked down because they are regularly tested for work. All also had mild or no symptoms.
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The CDC says that even if you get the flu vaccine you reduce your risk by 40% to 60%.