Am I missing something?

The UK is rejoicing today over news of being the FIRST country to approve the use of a new Covid vaccine.

Yes, good news.

Alok Sharma, Tory Party Minister, tweets:-

The UK was the first country to sign a deal with Pfizer/BioNTech - now we will be the first to deploy their vaccine. To everyone involved in this breakthrough: thank you. In years to come, we will remember this moment as the day the UK led humanity’s charge against this disease


(But, as our German ambassador has tweeted:-

Why is it so difficult to recognize this important step forward as a great international effort and success. I really don't think this is a national story. In spite of the German company BioNTech having made a crucial contribution this is European and transatlantic.)


Moving on, I read that this approved vaccine, unlike some others in the production line, does not necessarily prevent transmission of the virus but simply reduces its symptoms. Am I missing something here? Is there not danger in people possibly being able to transmit the virus yet personally having no symptoms? At the moment if you've got it you self isolate (or should do)

Maybe others have some ideas, thoughts?