What you need to do after getting vaccinated for COVID-19

Vaccines instruct the body how to successfully fight a virus without actually getting ill while public health measures, such as masking, rely on decreasing exposure to the virus. Wearing a face covering can reduce an individual's risk of contracting COVID-19 by up to 70%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccines approved by Pfizer and Moderna have shown to be more than 95% effective in blocking coronavirus infections.

Yes. The vaccines require two shots, with Pfizer’s second dose coming 21 days after the first one and Moderna's after 28 days. It generally takes at least two more weeks for vaccinations to have maximum effectiveness. And the vaccine is still not 100% effective — although it generally will prevent you from getting seriously ill.

But it remains unclear whether someone who has had the vaccine could still be a carrier of the virus, potentially transmitting it to those who have not been vaccinated, said Dr. David Battinelli, senior vice president and chief medical officer at Northwell Health. "We are not sure if you can carry COVID and give it to someone," after taking the vaccine, Battinelli told a Newsday Live panel last week.

Americans should continue with masking and social distancing until 75% to 85% of the population is vaccinated, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Herd immunity occurs when enough of a given population is exposed to the virus, typically though vaccination, limiting it's spread, and allowing the public to return to normal activities.

It's not precisely clear when the United States will reach herd immunity as the time frame is dependent on a number of factors — the pace of vaccine distribution, a willingness of individuals to take the vaccine and it's general effectiveness — but Fauci recently estimated that it could occur by mid-fall.

Most medical experts agree that a return to pre-2020 level activities, particularly international travel to locations where vaccinations have not been prevalent, will not be possible until we reach close to herd immunity.

But many experts suggest that if you, and all of the people you want to see, have been vaccinated it may be safe to begin socializing, even indoors. But being in large groups, where it's impossible to know who has been vaccinated, will remain risky, experts say.

Moderna's vaccine will provide immunity from the disease for at least one year, the biotech company said earlier this week. Pfizer has not reported similar data but health officials suggest the two vaccines work in similar ways and will therefore both require boosters, potentially annually. Additional data is expected in the coming months.