Having a vaccine doesn't mean you won't contract the COVID virus. But according to a local health expert, it means that your risk of serious illness - or being hospitalized - is much lower.

"If you end up having the terrible luck of getting the disease, getting infected while vaccinated, there is a very good chance that your disease process could be asymptomatic or mild,” DHR Health Intensivist Dr. Federico Vallejo said. "But ending up with respiratory failure, with inflammation of the lungs is extremely, extremely rare."

Dr. Vallejo said he has personally seen just one patient who was hospitalized despite being vaccinated.

"That person was on immunosuppressive agents for rheumatoid arthritis,” Dr. Vallejo said. “And even though she had inflammation of the lungs she recovered well and went home."

Vaccinated people who contract the virus also have a better chance of avoiding chronic aftereffects like loss of taste and smell.

The vaccine can also reduce the likelihood that a person with COVD will infect others and spread the disease.