With the current focus on when people will be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, medical professionals say it's important to remember to still be cautious of the virus even after you get the vaccine.

"This vaccine was produced relatively quickly so there's a lot more that we need to find out," said Dr. Dee Banks, M.D., Infectious Disease Expert, "we need a lot more robust studies to answer a lot of these questions."

"While there's some protection with the first dose, you're really not immunized until after the second dose," Banks said, "and that really takes about anywhere from 2-6 weeks."

Banks added even if you're vaccinated, you could still be a carrier of the virus.

"Yes, both vaccines have about 94-95% efficacy in keeping us from getting sick but we don't know whether or not we can still acquire the infection and then pass it on asymptomatically to somebody else," Banks said. 

It's also important to note it's still unknown what the heard immunity number is. Banks also added the vaccine could give you less immunity if you have a weaker immune system or a preexisting condition.

"People in clinical trials are relatively healthy volunteers," Banks said. "So, once you take it to the masses, we don't know what the level of immunolgenicity, meaning the ability for them to form antibodies really is."

Because of that uncertainty, Banks said you're not excused from wearing a mask even if you get the vaccine.

She added it's also important to remember there is not a proven time on how long immunity lasts for the vaccine. Experts say they're expected to provide about a 12-month immunity.