Latest vaccine info detailed for Town, Farragut area
With the Tennessee Department of Health opening up COVID-19 vaccines to those in phase 1C this week — which includes those ages 16 and older with high-risk conditions, as well as pregnant women and caretakers of medically frail children, among others — Dr. Frank Beuerlein, Chief Medical office-Quality, at Tennova Healthcare, recently addressed several vaccine-related questions posed by farragutpress.
What are the benefits of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine?
Data available so far have shown that these vaccines are around 95 percent effective. This is a very effective vaccine since the typical influenza vaccine is usually 40-to-60 percent effective at preventing the flu. And although not yet proven, it is believed that the 5 percent of individuals who could still become symptomatically infected with COVID-19 after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine will experience a milder illness.
How is the vaccine administered?
By intramuscular injection in the arm.
Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe?
While these vaccines are being developed as quickly as possible, safety has been a top priority. Safety steps have not been skipped. The same safety standards required for any vaccine in development are required for the COVID-19 vaccine. No serious safety concerns have been observed in either of the two front-runner COVID-19 vaccine studies, which together, include more than 70,000 participants with racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds. None of the COVID-19 vaccines currently in development in the United States use the live virus that causes COVID-19. Therefore, the COVID-19 vaccine cannot give you COVID-19.
What are the possible side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine?
The most common adverse events include mild to moderate injection site pain and redness, fatigue, achiness, headache and fever.
Side effects are a sign that your immune system is doing exactly what it is supposed to do. It is working and building up protection to the disease. These symptoms are generally short-lived and usually go away on their own.
Does the second COVID-19 vaccine have more side effects than the first vaccine?
With most COVID-19 vaccines, you will need two shots in order for them to get the most protection. Many people have little to no reaction to the first shot. Many more say the second shot can be followed by symptoms such as fever, fatigue, headache and soreness at the injection site.
Fortunately, side effects resolve quickly, whereas COVID-19 can bring on debilitating, months-long symptoms. Experts recommend getting the second shot even if you have side effects after the first shot, unless your doctor tells you not to get a second shot.
Phizer-BioNTech doses should be given three weeks apart. Moderna doses should be given roughly one month (28 days) apart. You should get your second shot as close to the recommended 3-week or 1-month interval as possible.
However, there is no maximum interval between the first and second doses for either vaccine. You should not get the second dose earlier than the recommended interval.
Should I receive the vaccine if I‘ve already recoverred from COVID-19?
Due to the severe health risks associated with COVID-19 and the fact that re-infection with COVID-19 is possible, people are advised to get a COVID-19 vaccine even if they have been sick with COVID-19 before.
At this time, experts do not know how long someone is protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19. The immunity someone gains from having an infection, called natural immunity, varies from person to person. Some early evidence suggests natural immunity may not last very long.
Will I need a booster or an annual COVID-19 vaccine?
The Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines could offer immunity against COVID-19 for up to two to three years. However, they will most likely have to be administered annually. A few people who have had COVID-19 have apparently had a second, often milder case of the disease. Vaccine developers are looking at ways to boost the effectiveness of a vaccine so that it provides longer immune protection than a natural infection with the coronavirus.
Where can I get more information?
Visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html
To register to receive the vaccine through the state Department of Health, visit VaccineFinder.org.
