Can you still get corona after complete vaccination?

It is possible to get COVID-19 after you have been fully vaccinated. These cases are known as breakthrough infections.

While the COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations, and death, they do not provide 100% protection against infection. Vaccines such as Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson have high efficacy rates, but none are 100% effective. This means that a small percentage of fully vaccinated people may still become infected.

Some strains of SARS-CoV-2, such as the Delta and Omicron strains, are more contagious and may slightly reduce the effectiveness of vaccines, increasing the risk of breakthrough infections. The protection provided by vaccines may decrease over time, increasing the risk of breakthrough infection, especially if booster doses are not administered.

While it is possible to get COVID-19 after full vaccination, the vaccines provide strong protection against severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. Breakthrough infections do occur, but they are usually milder and the duration of contagiousness is shorter. Booster doses can help strengthen protection and reduce the risk of breakthrough infections.

Source: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra2206573

Author: Prof. Dr. Dirk Devroey - Latest update: 2023-12-11 - Copyright: Clinifacts 2025