A breakthrough COVID-19 infection is when afully vaccinated person contracts SARS-CoV-2, the COVID-19 virus.
As the number of vaccinated people increases, more people will have a breakthrough infection.
This article covers COVID-19 vaccination, testing, and when to be concerned about a breakthrough infection.
Yuichiro Chino / Getty Images
Yuichiro Chino / Getty Images
What Is a Breakthrough Infection?
However, fully vaccinated people with a breakthrough infection can still pass the virus to someone else.
Breakthrough COVID-19 infections are uncommon.
If You’re Vaccinated, What Warrants a COVID-19 Test?
According to the CDC, testing for COVID-19 can be an additional strategy to protect yourself and others.
It can help you make informed decisions regarding prevention or treatment.
The rapid antigen and molecular PCR tests determine whether someone has an active COVID-19 infection.
There are several factors to consider when deciding which test to obtain.
These include:
Rapid antigen tests are more widely available than other tests.
They are offered in hospitals and clinics and can be done at home.
Rapid antigen tests generally provide a result in about 15 to 30 minutes.
Molecular PCR test results usually return after one to two days.
At-home molecular PCR test kits usually require a person to send a specimen to a laboratory.
Rapid antigen tests are cheaper than PCR tests; however, they do not have the best diagnostic accuracy.
Testing for COVID-19 when a person does not have symptoms increases the possibility of afalse-negative result.
Testing too early after exposure can also give a person a false-negative result.
This is why the FDA recommends that people without symptoms wait at least five days after exposure before testing.
Finally, the way that a sample is collected can also affect test accuracy.
The FDA-approved antigen and molecular PCR tests detect these variants, including the Omicron variant.
The FDA-authorized vaccines also offer protection against multiple variants, including the Omicron variant.
How Long Does It Take to Build Immunity After Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine?
It can take abouttwo weeksto develop immunity to SARS-CoV-2 after vaccination.
They may not develop an appropriate immune response to vaccination.
For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.
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