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COVID-19 vaccines: what you need to know


Sonya Addison, M.D.
Posted 12/29/20

By Sonya Addison, M.D.

Two coronavirus vaccines received emergency approval this month, and two more are in stage three clinical trials. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was approved on …

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COVID-19 vaccines: what you need to know


Posted

By Sonya Addison, M.D.

Two coronavirus vaccines received emergency approval this month, and two more are in stage three clinical trials. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was approved on December 10, 2020, the first of its kind. One week later, Moderna’s vaccine was approved. Clinical trials reveal that both vaccines are extremely effective, both preventing COVID-19 in more than 94% of study participants. Drugmakers AztraZenca and Janssen will vie for approval in the coming months.

Both available vaccines require two doses. A second dose is required 21 days after the Pfizer inoculation, with Moderna requiring a second injection at 28 days. Janssen’s vaccine is being studied in one and two-dose variations to determine efficacy, as is AstraZeneca’s.

Very cold temperatures and special handling are required for storage of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.  AstraZeneca’s offering is unique as it can be stored and shipped at more normal temperatures and has a longer shelf life.

Side effects may include pain, redness or swelling, at the injection site, low-grade fever, muscle aches and pains, chills, or headache. Symptoms may occur within one week of the inoculation and generally, last only a day or two. These effects are more likely to occur after the second injection. Severe side effects are rare, and the vaccine cannot give you COVID-19. If you have had an allergic reaction to other vaccines, then you should talk with your healthcare provider before receiving the vaccine. Of note, they do not contain eggs, latex, or preservatives. 

The current COVID-19 vaccines use new technology to provide immunity. COVID-19 mRNA, or messenger RNA, is a small piece of genetic material that contains instructions for building a portion of the “spike protein” that is found on the outside of the virus. This set of instructions is taken into our cells, read, and then destroyed. Our immune cells then make the piece of protein and present it to other immune cells. These cells make antibodies, starting a chain reaction that ultimately leads to our immune system to “remember” what the coronavirus looks like. When a vaccinated person encounters the virus in the future, these memory cells jump into action, fighting the virus before it can cause illness. 

Upcoming vaccines also use a different mechanism to provide immunity. These are called recombinant vector vaccines. They use a deactivated virus, such as an adenovirus (which causes the common cold), to deliver a small piece of the novel coronavirus spike protein to our immune cells.

These new technologies do NOT change our DNA or genetic material. This notion is a myth.

COVID-19 is a new virus, so we do not yet know how long the vaccine will work. Scientists are still studying how long the immune system keeps the “memory” of the virus. It could work for years, or we may require vaccination every year, like the influenza vaccine.

There are only two ways for a person to develop immunity to COVID-19. One is through vaccination, the other is through infection. While it is true that many will have no or mild symptoms with infection, we do know the disease can be severe or deadly to high-risk groups. Vaccinations are currently being given to front-line healthcare workers and very high-risk populations, such as those in nursing homes. The second wave is recommended for higher-risk individuals, with the third wave targeting low-risk groups.

Your family and friends deserve protection. You can provide this through vaccination. This newspaper will provide information on local vaccination efforts as they are developed and launched.

Sonya Addison, MD, is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, and holds a certification by the American Society of Hypertension. She currently practices Endocrinology at Boone Medical Group Diabetes and Endocrinology in Columbia, Mo.  This column is for educational and entertainment purposes, and is not meant to replace the advice of your personal medical team.

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