Due to some recent requests and questions about the rash of breakthrough cases of COVID-19, I thought it might be good to learn more about phenomenon.  So let’s learn about what a breakthrough case of COVID is, how does it work, and hopefully clear up some of the confusion/fear around it.

What

Typically a breakthrough case is a infection of a person who is fully vaccinated.   In the case of the RONA that means at least two jabs of the Pfizer or Modern vaccine or a one-hitta quitta of the Johnson and Johnson.  Recent statistical data has shown that unvaccinated people are 5 times more likely to get COVID-19 than vaccinated people, and 29 times more likely to end up hospitalized as a unvaccinated person.  In other, words it’s only a matter of time with your unvaccinated ass.

How

Breakthrough infections actually can work in a couple of ways. The first way is typically the way and COVID infection happens by be exposed to the virus and the virus infects and replicates causing a systemic infection and eventually triggering a massive immune response that sometimes be fatal. Basically, think of the alien baby starting in your nose cells popping out and starting the process all over again until everything is infected.  When we get tested for COVID and the test comes back positive the assumption is that a positive result means a infection.  However this can sometimes be a false assumption in that even if you test positive for a typical PCR test it may not mean you have a true infection.  Which brings me to the next case of a breakthrough infection

If you haven’t taken a COVID test (looking at you kinda suspect if you haven’t), it typically involves the healthcare professional sticking a swab up your nose that will clear your sinuses better than Vicks vapor rub.  From that sample is extracted and placed goes through PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction).  PCR uses specialize chemicals and enzymes and a thermal cycler.  Each heating and cooling cycles amplifies the genetic material of the virus.  After so many cycles a florescent chemical that was added to the sample can be quantified and is analyzed by the scientist using special software. Basically at the end if your sample is glowing like a frat house with a black light you probably have COVID.  However it might not be a true infection.

Another type of infection that can happen particularly with COVID is Colonization,  Colonization is when the virus may only appear in the upper respiratory system AKA the nose.  A recent paper in 2021 examined the positive results of 11 vaccinated soccer players out of 1700 players and staff that were regularly tested for over a 4 month period.  In this study, they wanted to look at the humoral and cellular immune response by looking at CD4+ and CD8+ cells.  These type of responses dictate when you have a localized infection or a full on systemic infection.  Unexpectedly, it would seem that only one of the 11 vaccinated people actually had a systemic infection!

So is the PCR test wrong and not accurate?  No, the other 10 players who tested positive and actually had a low level amount of the virus but it didn’t constitute a true infection.  It appears the PCR test is very sensitive, and in this case it may just be a matter of perspective.  Would you rather be safe than sorry or take a risk.  Thank God for Trojan.

Conclusion In a nutshell, breakthrough cases happen.  No vaccine is a hundred percent and to be honest your flu vaccine might be even less than 60 percent, depending on when you take it. Despite this, even if you may test positive it still might not be a true infection.  Which would explain why you’re not going to the hospital.  I think as scientists and medical professionals we have to be honest with what the data is telling us and understand and explain that like most things in science, just about everything is subject to change.  Just like some of these variants going around so get your shot and booster people.