COVID-19 vaccines produce protection against the disease by helping you develop an immune response to the SARS-Cov-2 virus. This immunity helps you fight the virus if exposed. Some COVID-19 vaccines are now reported as effective against the infection also.
Getting vaccinated may also protect people around you, because if you are protected from getting infected and from disease, you are less likely to infect someone else. This is particularly important to protect people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19, such as healthcare providers, older or elderly adults, and people with other medical conditions.