I assume I know the answer to this already but wanted to confirm before I respond to someone that appears to be arguing that vaccines don't make you immune (they only stop your symptoms?) - but you remain infectious?:
She also doesn’t realise that if a vaccine works like she believes then the vaccinated would have less symptoms which in result offers more chance of spreading it. literally how covid spreads so fast now. “no or mild symptoms“ to most. Thats the sole reason it spreads so fast. So technically getting vaccinated is more dangerous in spreading disease than someone that gets sick and stays at home.
Edit: This question is about vaccines in a more general scope as that was the discussion at hand, but if anything it would be more closely targeted at COVID-19, which I'm aware there is currently no vaccine for.
My understanding of vaccines in general is that they don't technically make you "immune", but they make you immune to the effects of the virus, because your body will already know how to beat it.
But in saying that, my assumption has also been that because you have somewhat of a immunity to it then if you get "infected" with the disease you aren't contagious to others.
Additionally, I assume getting "infected" with the disease and being protected against it's effects is different to being asymptomatic - both have no symptoms, but you are still truly infected with it if asymptomatic and can still pass it to others, it's just not affecting your body enough to give you symptoms.
Just thinking now, but if your body knows how to fight it off already, then maybe you are truly immune to it - just because it enters your body doesn't mean it infects you right? Your body knows how to fight it off before it does. Like, an attacker can enter your grounds and knock at the door, but your guards know how to fight them off before they enter the area of your grounds where they 'cause the trouble'.
...but on the case you CAN get infected with it, but it doesn't present any symptoms, are you still contagious to others?
Additionally, I'm not talking bout virus shredding here from getting a vaccine, I know all about that.
One would think the proof is in the pudding in that many diseases have all but been eradicated from the world because of some vaccines, but I argue with myself that if vaccines don't make you immune then perhaps these diseases have only largely seemingly been eradicated because most everyone has been vaccinated (with vaccination preventing you from the effects only, not getting infected?) - thus only appearing on the surface they have been eradicated, but they are still around, but just don't pose a health risk to those that are vaccinated?
So, primary question is, what is meant exactly by "immunity", can you still contract the disease and if so would you still be contagious to others?