A Long Island woman tested positive for COVID-19 Tuesday — more than a month after receiving her second dose of the Moderna vaccine meant to protect against the virus, a report said.
Melanie Rosen, who works as a secretary in the Hewlett-Woodmere school district, told PIX-11 she thought that getting the jab meant it was safe to resume normal activities without wearing a mask.
She started experiencing symptoms shortly after attending a wake — unmasked — for a friend’s father who had passed away.
“There was probably at least 10 family members there,” Rosen said. “I hung out for about an hour and a half without wearing a mask. I hugged each one.”
Rosen told the station that a few days after seeing everyone she started experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, including a stuffy nose and body aches, particularly in her legs.
She later learned that three family members who had attended the gathering had tested positive for COVID-19.
“I was shocked,” Rosen said. “I’m the 4.9 percent that got Moderna and actually got COVID.”
None of the vaccines approved for use currently offer 100 percent protection from the virus — but health officials continue to stress that vaccinations do help to prevent serious cases, and are a crucial step on the road back to normalcy.
Rosen’s infection is a rare case of a person coming down with the illness following inoculation — something experts say is unlikely, but still possible.
Rosen ultimately fought off a mild bout of COVID-19 — and says she’s thankful she was able to get the vaccine when she did.
“You can still get it; you can probably still spread it,” Rosen said. “I want people to know it’s not over.”