SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) — There has been encouraging news from researchers in Israel who found that people who get the COVID-19 vaccine not only have less severe symptoms but may be less likely to transmit the disease. 

In developing the COVID-19 vaccines, drug companies did not examine whether a vaccinated subject can still spread the virus. 

“The studies were not really designed to determine whether people had what we call sterilizing immunity,” said Dr. Stuart Cohen, chief of UC Davis Health’s Division of Infectious Diseases.

That’s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while slightly easing rules, is still calling for wearing masks and social distancing in crowds, even after getting vaccinated. 

There are signs that infection rates are plummeting as more people are vaccinated. If it’s found that the vaccines can halt the virus in its tracks, the path to normalcy will be faster than some people thought. 

“Yes, ultimately, I think that’s going to be the way out of the pandemic,” Dr. Cohen told FOX40. 

Researchers found that people can still get COVID-19 and spread the virus to others without having symptoms after getting their first shot. But there are more questions about what happens after the second shot. 

“How many people who do get infected and still have enough virus that they still have enough to transmit to somebody else?” Cohen questioned.

Cohen said those who have gotten their shots can still put others in jeopardy because not enough people have been vaccinated. 

“We’re close, but don’t spike the football before you get into the end zone,” he said. 

UC Davis Health is involved in a vaccine study that will test for the presence of the novel coronavirus after the subject gets their second shot.