Covid-19 Vaccines
Covenant Health's chief medical officer, Douglas Waite, MD, answers some of your questions about COVID-19
The global pandemic has challenged all of us, but the COVID-19 vaccine provides us with another tool to combat this deadly virus. News reports can be confusing, so here are some answers to your questions.
First…the basics:
What is a vaccine?
A vaccine stimulates your immune system to produce antibodies, exactly like it would if you were exposed to the disease. After getting vaccinated, you develop immunity to that disease, without having to get the disease first.
What is different about the COVID-19 vaccine?
The first COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use have been the messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “mRNA vaccines take advantage of the process that cells use to make proteins in order to trigger an immune response and build immunity to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.” Unlike traditional vaccines, mRNA vaccines do not utilize live or killed virus to trigger the immune response. Pfizer and Moderna have been leaders in this technology and have provided the first vaccines in the United States.
Are the COVID-19 vaccines safe?
According to the CDC, mRNA vaccines must follow “rigorous and effective safety standards” and none of the results of the clinical trials have reported serious side effects in test patients. That said, all vaccines carry the risk of side effects on administration including low grade fever, chills, nausea or muscle aches. This means that the body is producing the antibodies it needs to fight off the disease.
As these vaccines are approved by the CDC, extensive safety data is made available to the public.
We hear a lot about herd immunity.
What is it, and how do we reach it?
Herd immunity is when enough people in the population are immune to a particular disease, and the spread from person-to-person becomes unlikely. This differs from natural immunity that you acquire after you’ve been exposed to a virus.
Herd immunity is important because it helps protect those individuals who may not receive the COVID-19 vaccine due to other reasons or complications. Mumps, polio and chickenpox are examples of diseases in the U.S. where vaccines have helped establish herd immunity.
I’m not sure I want the vaccine, but I don’t want COVID-19 either. Are there conditions that increase my risk for contracting COVID-19?
According to the CDC, adults of any age with the following conditions are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19:
Cancer
Chronic kidney disease
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Heart (cardiac) conditions, including heart failure, coronary artery disease and cardiomyopathies
Immunocompromised individuals, due to solid organ transplant
Obesity
Pregnancy
Sickle cell disease
Smoking
Type 2 diabetes
There is limited data about the following medical conditions, but CDC suggests you may be at an increased risk if you have:
Asthma (moderate to severe)
Cystic fibrosis
High blood pressure (hypertension)
Immunocompromised state, due to blood or bone marrow transplant, HIV, use of corticosteroids or other immune-weakening medication
Neurologic conditions, like dementia
Liver disease
Pulmonary fibrosis
Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder)
Type 1 diabetes
Additionally, children with sickle cell disease or chronic kidney disease also may be at an increased risk of severe illness.
For more information about the COVID-19 vaccines, visit cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/8-things.html.