COVID-19 Vaccine

COVID-19 can have serious, life-threatening complications. There’s no way to know how it will affect you. And, if you get sick, you can spread the disease to family, friends and others around you.

The COVID-19 vaccine works with your immune system so that you’re ready to fight the virus if exposed. The vaccine is an important tool in helping to stop this global pandemic.

No, if you have severe/anaphylactic allergic reactions to the components of the vaccine or to other injectables, you should not get the vaccine.

But most experts agree that allergies to peanuts, eggs, shellfish, etc. are not a contraindiction.

Yes. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, vaccines should not be withheld from pregnant women who meet criteria for vaccination based on recommended priority groups. But they should talk with their doctor first.

It’s important to note that no pregnant women were in the clinical trials at the time of the first dose. Experts also say that pregnant women may have an increased risk of severe illness if they have COVID-19, and they are also at risk for an adverse pregnancy outcome, such as preterm birth.

No, unless they’re at least 16 years old. A national vaccine committee has recommended authorization of the first COVID-19 vaccine for people ages 16 and older. Sixteen and 17 year olds were included in the clinical trials for the vaccine.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends further research on the vaccine for younger children.

Any vaccine or medication can cause side effects. These are typically minor, such as a sore arm or low-grade fever, and go away within a few days.

As with all vaccines, COVID-19 vaccines were not approved until clinical trials took place that showed they were both safe and effective. Safety is the top priority of any vaccine. Early results from the first COVID-19 vaccines tested in people show they worked as intended with no serious side effects.

Keep in mind that these side effects indicate that your immune system is responding to the vaccine. These side effects are common with vaccinations.

Clinical trials showed that the vaccine was approximately 50% effective after one dose and 95% effective after two doses.

Yes! While experts learn more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide under real-life conditions, it will be important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to us to help stop this pandemic, such as covering your mouth and nose with a mask, washing your hands often, and staying at least 6 feet away from others.

Experts need to understand more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide before deciding to change recommendations on steps everyone should take to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. Other factors, including how many people get vaccinated and how the virus is spreading in communities, will also affect this decision.

Also, while the vaccine may prevent you from getting sick, it is unknown whether you can still carry and transmit the virus

If you’re not in quarantine or exhibiting symptoms, you can get the vaccine. But you should speak with your primary health care provider about it first.

As long as you have completed your quarantine and are no longer exhibiting symptoms, you can have the second dose of the vaccine. But you should speak with your primary health care provider about it first.

It’s too early to know if COVID-19 vaccines will provide long-term protection. Additional research is needed to answer this question; however, it’s encouraging that available data suggests most people who recover from COVID-19 develop an immune response that provides at least some protection against reinfection – although we’re still learning about the strength of this protection and how long it lasts

Lexington Medical Center is currently administering the Pfizer vaccine. Here’s what’s in it:

• A nucleotide-modified messenger RNA encoding the viral spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 — This is what makes the vaccine work. It instructs cells in the body on how to make a protein that triggers an immune response.
• Lipids (fatty substances)
• Potassium chloride (potassium and chlorine)
• Monobasic potassium phosphate
• Sodium chloride (Salt)
• Dibasic sodium phosphate dihydrate
• Sucrose (Sugar)

You cannot become infected with COVID-19 from COVID-19 vaccines. These are inactivated vaccines, not live-virus vaccines.

Pharmaceutical companies have invested significant resources into developing a COVID-19 vaccine quickly because of the global effects of the pandemic. An emergency situation warranted an emergency response. That does not mean the companies bypassed safety protocols or performed inadequate testing.

The Pfizer vaccine has been studied in approximately 43,000 people—and is shown to be 95% effective in preventing the virus after a two-dose regimen. Studies followed participants in the clinical trials for the vaccine for two months after they received it.

In addition to the safety review by the Food and Drug Administration, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices convened a panel of vaccine safety experts to independently evaluate the safety data from the clinical trial.

Yes, vaccine development typically takes many years; however, scientists had already begun research for coronavirus vaccines during previous outbreaks caused by related coronaviruses such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). That earlier research provided a head start for rapid development of vaccines to protect against infection with the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

No. While the COVID-19 survival rate may be high, it’s important to note that a 1% mortality rate is 10 times more lethal than the seasonal flu. In addition, the mortality rate can vary widely based on age, gender and underlying health conditions.

In contrast, clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines have shown only short-term mild or moderate vaccine reactions that resolve without complication or injury.

While some people who receive the vaccine may develop symptoms as their immune system responds, that’s common when receiving any vaccine, and these symptoms are not considered serious or life-threatening. And you cannot become infected with COVID-19 from COVID-19 vaccines. These are inactivated vaccines, not live-virus vaccines.

Moreover, it's important to recognize that getting vaccinated for COVID-19 is not just about survival from COVID-19. It's about preventing spread of the virus to others and preventing infection that can lead to long-term negative health effects.

While no vaccine is 100% effective, getting vaccinated is far better than not getting vaccinated. The benefits outweigh the risks in healthy people.

No. The COVID-19 vaccine has messenger RNA, or mRNA. Messenger RNA vaccines work by instructing cells in the body on how to make a protein that triggers an immune response. Injecting messenger RNA into your body will not interact or do anything to the DNA of your cells. Human cells break down and get rid of the messenger RNA soon after they have finished using the instructions.

The impact of COVID-19 vaccines on the pandemic will depend on several factors such as effectiveness, manufacturing, delivery and how many people get vaccinated. It is generally accepted that for the vaccine to offer protection from a public health perspective, at least 70% of the population needs to be vaccinated (extrapolated from the measles and other vaccines).