DEAR DR. ROACH: Could you please provide your recommendations on how we should conduct ourselves after we get the COVID vaccine? Please include an explanation of how immune we actually will be. -- T.S.
ANSWER: Three vaccines are approved under an emergency authorization at the time of this writing: Two mRNA vaccines, made by Moderna and Pfizer, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which uses a different virus and DNA to teach our cells how to respond to COVID-19.
The available mRNA vaccines are both nearly 95% effective at preventing disease after two doses; the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine was 66% effective in preventing moderate to severe COVID-19 but 100% effective at preventing COVID-19-related hospitalization and death. This is very good protection, but given how prevalent the infection is throughout North America, exposure to the virus is very likely unless you take proper precautions. This includes mask-wearing and hand-washing, but also avoiding high-risk exposures, such as eating indoors or being in a large group of unmasked people. Even those who had the vaccine can still get COVID: 66% and 95% are good, but not perfect. Also, that high protection takes time -- two to three weeks after the full series.
A second issue is that we just arent sure whether the vaccine keeps people from being contagious. It may be that even people protected from COVID-19 illness may still be infectious for a time after they get exposed. Recent data suggest the vaccines are very effective at doing so but the data is not yet conclusive.
For these two reasons -- protecting yourself from COVID-19 (imperfect vaccines) and protecting others (unknown protection against possible asymptomatic spread) -- experts recommend continuing to take precautions. As more and more people get the vaccine, the pandemic will subside. As the prevalence decreases, life will return to normal, and masks and social distancing can be stopped. How soon that will be depends on how fast the population can be vaccinated, and how careful people are about masks and social distancing until then.
* * *
Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu or send mail to 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803.
(c) 2021 North America Syndicate Inc.
The big day is finally here: Its time for your second vaccine dose. Youve got your ID, youve confirmed your appointment time, and wait hang on a second where did that card go?
Youre not the first person to misplace that piece of paper. Google searches for lost vaccine card have ticked up through 2021 as more and more people have gotten vaccinated (currently standing at roughly 1 in 3 Californians).
Its not the only question people have had about what to do with their vaccine card. Heres a list of dos and donts for the most exciting piece of paper youll get this year.
Return for your second appointment as planned with your ID. Your vaccination record regardless of where you received the shot will be registered in the California Immunization Registry (CAIR). The provider should have you in the system from last time, and they will be able to issue you a new card.
Most healthcare providers are connected to CAIR. People can ask their healthcare provider if they are able to access this record and provide a printed copy, a representative for L.A. County Public Health wrote in an email.
If you lost your card after your second dose, reach out to wherever you got your shots and ask them for a replacement. Again, your information should be in the system, so it shouldnt be a problem to get you another one. You can also request your vaccination record directly from CAIR.
If you booked your appointment at a city-led mass vaccination site through Carbon Health, youll get a secure digital vaccine record called Health Pass as well as the paper card, said CEO and co-founder Eren Bali.
Staples and Office Depot are offering free lamination for vaccine cards, but dont take them up on it. The heat from the laminating machine can damage the ink. Also, you may need to get a COVID vaccine booster in the future, the county public health department noted, so its probably best to leave it unlaminated. A better way to protect it: a clear plastic sleeve, like a badge ID holder. You might have an old one on a lanyard from a conference kicking around somewhere.
Make sure your name and date of birth are correct. Ideally, youll do this before you leave your first appointment, but if thats already in the past, its still good to check. Ask the provider for a replacement with corrected information if something is wrong.
Discussions of so-called vaccine passports are mostly theoretical at this point. Theres no reason to carry your card in your wallet at all times right now. Keep it somewhere secure in your house like you would any other important document.
UPDATED April 9, 2021 | 5:36 PM
Only in public or around unvaccinated people, according to the CDC. If youre around other fully vaccinated people in a private setting, go ahead and take your masks off.
Yes, you can visit one other household with unvaccinated people, indoors and without masks even, as long as they and anyone they live with are at low risk of developing a severe case of COVID-19. Avoid mixing with more than one household at a time.
Be sure to check and follow the rules in place for wherever youre headed, but in general, yes. And you dont have to quarantine when you return home.
The CDC recommends that you do not. In California, stadiums and other large venues that are opening are doing so with limited capacity and physical distancing and other measures in place.
Suggested reading for the vaccinated:
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As a back-up for the physical card, you can take photos of the front and back of it and email those to yourself.
Some people have shared vaccine selfies with their birth dates covered up, ostensibly for identity theft protection. Thats good its never smart to share personal information like that online. But you really dont want to be widely sharing the other information on the card either, Bali said, particularly as stories crop up about people trying to create fake ones: You dont want to make it even easier to do that by conveniently providing a recent lot number.
Every person who shares a photo of themselves beaming with a fresh shoulder Band-Aid helps the cause, Bali said. Vaccine hesitancy has decreased as the rollout has progressed, but your photo could be the difference for someone you know to go from thinking, nah, Ill wait a while longer and see how it goes to if this person feels OK about it, so do I.
A smiling person is definitely more effective than a photo of a vaccination record, Bali said.
You heard it here: Post your selfies. Its good for your (and the publics) health.
Syracuse, N.Y. As Syracuse University tries to contain a surge of Covid-19 cases, some infected students are refusing to identify fellow students they may have exposed to the virus.
Some students are choosing not to participate in SUs contact tracing process which seeks to quickly identify, trace and quarantine individuals who may have been infected, according to Mike Haynie, SUs vice chancellor.
To knowingly withhold information that could prevent another member of our community or their family members from becoming infected and possibly very ill is categorically wrong and indefensible, Haynie said in a message posted today on SUs website. We expect every member of our campus community to participate fully and honestly in the contact tracing process.
SU requires students to participate in contact tracing as part of the schools stay safe pledge. Students who refuse to do so can face disciplinary sanctions.
Cases have been increasing at SU since mid-March. There have been 325 new cases in the past 14 days. SU reported 17 new positive cases today. There are currently 346 students in quarantine because they may have been exposed to the virus.
Haynie called the increase troubling.
As we head into another weekend, I urge all our students to recommit themselves to responsible public health behaviors to keep you and those around you safe, healthy and on campus, Haynie said.
James T. Mulder covers health and higher education. Have a news tip? Contact him at (315) 470-2245 or jmulder@syracuse.com
The Oregon Health Authority on Saturday reported 761 new COVID-19 cases, marking the first time since early February that the state has reported more than 700 new cases in one day.
Saturday is the fourth day this week that the state has reported at least 500 cases of the virus. Average daily cases now stand at levels last seen in February.
Hospitalizations from COVID-19 have appeared to plateau somewhat after shooting upward in late March, although the state reported Saturday that the number of people hospitalized had increased by 12.
The state did not report any new deaths.
Vaccines: Oregon reported 54,790 newly administered doses, which includes 30,068 on Friday and the remainder from previous days.
Where the new cases are by county: Baker (6), Benton (9), Clackamas (82), Columbia (16), Coos (4), Crook (8), Curry (1), Deschutes (74), Douglas (9), Grant (3), Harney (1), Hood River (4), Jackson (57), Jefferson (2), Josephine (20), Klamath (48), Lane (67), Lincoln (4), Linn (17), Malheur (3), Marion (57), Multnomah (132), Polk (11), Tillamook (6), Umatilla (3), Union (4), Wasco (6), Washington (98), Yamhill (9).
Who died: The Oregon Health Authority did not report any new COVID-19 related deaths Saturday.
Hospitalizations: 170 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 are hospitalized, up 12 from Friday. That includes 46 people in intensive care, up seven from Friday.
Since it began: Oregon has reported 170,085 confirmed or presumed infections and 2,440 deaths, among the lowest per capita numbers in the nation. To date, the state has reported 2,224,340 vaccine doses administered.
-- Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com | @jamiebgoldberg
The world mens curling championship was put on hold during the playoff round due to positive coronavirus tests within the Calgary bubble, World Curling announced Friday night.
The first game on Saturday morning the U.S. vs. Switzerland for a spot in the semifinals against Russia, originally set for 11 ET will not be played as scheduled.
All playoff teams will undergo testing on Saturday morning, and until the results are clear and its known that the players are safe, no further games will be played, according to World Curling.
Before the tournament was put on hold, Scotland beat Canada for a place in the other semifinal against top seed and defending champion Sweden.
The six teams that made the playoffs qualified 2022 Olympic quota spots (Scotland for Great Britain), including the U.S. rink that includes three members of the 2018 Olympic champion team (John Shuster,Matt HamiltonandJohn Landsteiner).
The team that will represent the U.S. at the 2022 Winter Games will be determined at an Olympic Trials in the autumn.
The U.S. has made the playoff round at six consecutive Olympics and world championships, with Shuster skipping five of those teams. The U.S. last medal at mens worlds was a bronze in 2016.
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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Pediatricians and family doctors are getting a flood of calls from parents about the coronavirus, which began even before Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced the state is asking local health departments to partner with schools to vaccinate 16- and 17-year-olds.
Its definitely been a pretty dramatic split, Dr. Amy Edwards, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at University Hospitals, said. There are some parents who are hounding me on a daily basis ... and then theres the other half that are basically saying No way, its scary, Ill get it myself as a parent, but I just dont feel comfortable having my kids get it.
The vaccine opened to Ohioans 16 and older on March 29, so some parents have already worked with doctors to get the vaccine for their 16- and 17-year-olds. Since the governor announced on Monday that health departments should work with schools to administer the vaccine to students, schools are now interpreting how that guidance applies and discussing future plans. The Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio, which coordinated vaccination efforts for the majority of Cuyahoga County school staff, is working with the Board of Health this week to determine next steps.
Parents must sign a permission slip for 16- and 17-year-olds to get the vaccine, DeWine said. The vaccine is voluntary.
While seven out of 10 people in an Axios/Ipsos poll said theyve already gotten or are likely to get the vaccine, about 48 percent said theyre not likely to get their children under 18 vaccinated as soon as shots become available. When cleveland.com posted a story about DeWines announcement on Monday, there were more than 100 Facebook comments. Some were excited about the announcement, noting they are eager to get their younger children vaccinated. Some balked at the idea of their child getting the vaccine at all, while others said theyd make an individual decision but were wary of the state interfering.
Only one vaccine -- Pfizer -- is currently approved for use for 16- and 17-year-olds. Recent trial results for Pfizer are showing that the vaccine could be safe and effective for children as young as 12, and the company is asking for FDA permission to offer the vaccine to ages 12-15.
I think that probably the concerns that I hear from parents in terms of the COVID vaccine does mirror some of the questions that I hear around other childhood vaccinations, Dr. Kimberly Giuliano, a Cleveland Clinic pediatrician, said. I think what is a little bit different in terms of the COVID vaccine, and the questions that parents have is just the the fact that this is so much newer, and the perception that perhaps the process has been more rushed in an attempt to get the vaccine out to folks, and then people being worried or concerned that perhaps it wasnt studied as robustly as other vaccines have been. And thats not the case.
When Svetlana Pundik, a neurology professor, saw that Senders Pediatrics was enrolling patients in Pfizer vaccine trials, she didnt fit in the age categories. But eventually her son, 14-year-old Daniel Lust, did. Daniel said he was initially hesitant to get the vaccine -- it involved getting his blood drawn, something he pointed out doesnt appeal to people -- but hes glad he participated.
In hindsight, it really feels like that it was something thats important and meaningful, he said.
Children have generally been less likely to show symptoms or experience severe outcomes from the vaccine, but Giuliano said vaccinating children will be key. She added the pandemic had a significant impact on childhood socialization, especially when children were learning remotely, which can take a toll on mental health.
In order to achieve herd immunity, 70 to 90% of the population needs to have either had the disease or had the vaccine, Giuliano said. Children under the age of 18 make up greater than 20% of the U.S. population, so vaccinating children is going to be a really important part of ending the pandemic.
Cleveland.com and the Plain Dealer interviewed pediatricians on the top concerns parents have about the coronavirus vaccine. Here are the answers to the most commonly-asked questions.
Q: Its a new vaccine -- is it safe? Are there going to be long term effects?
A: Pfizer uses messenger RNA instead of actual parts of the virus, which teaches the body how to produce a protein piece from the virus so the body can learn to fight it. Dr. Shelly Senders, of Senders Pediatrics, describes the vaccine using the metaphor of Snapchat, the popular messaging app. On Snapchat, the messages disappear once being opened.
Just like with Snapchat theres no reference to (the virus) after 48 to 72 hours, Senders said. And thats what adds a measure of safety that is a little bit different than your standard vaccine, where there is a foreign protein in your body.
Essentially, the cell forgets the instructions on how to make the virus. Edwards compares the vaccine to taking a single dose of Tylenol. One dose of medicine -- or two in the case of Pfizer and Moderna -- would be unlikely to show side effects 20 or 30 years down the line when the medicine is out of the system. A vaccine dose would be more likely to show side effects within the first four to eight weeks.
The vaccines only in your arm for a couple of days and then its basically gone -- it doesnt exist any more, Edwards said.
Because of other vaccines, though not mRNA vaccines, having delayed effects, the FDA required companies developing the vaccine to follow trial participants for a minimum of eight weeks, according to the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. In notes from clinical trials for all three vaccines published on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, mild to moderate side effects would show up within seven days.
Q: It seems like this vaccine has been rushed. How can you accept a vaccine that has been rushed?
A: Coronavirus vaccines were developed and approved under emergency authorization from the federal Food and Drug Administration. The approval process has caused some alarm since other vaccines have been developed over longer periods.
For these trials, data is collected and then sent to be scrubbed, where inconsistencies, duplicates and errors are screened and corrected. Then the data is put into a format where it can be analyzed. This is where the process accelerated, Senders said.
Theyre putting the money into collecting data in real time, rather than having delays in the collection of data, Senders said.
Instead of there being a months-long wait for data, communication about it happened over days.
There were several other factors in how the vaccines were developed so quickly. Experts told Healthline that there were immense resources and widespread public and private support for developing vaccines. The viruss rapid spread also made it easier to see how vaccines worked versus the placebo.
Daniel doesnt know whether he got the placebo or the real vaccine, but experienced mild soreness in his arm. He then had to log his symptoms on a phone for several weeks, something he said didnt get in the way of his life or school.
Theres a sense of security that comes with it, he said.
Senders said those who received the placebo in the trial will eventually get the vaccine. Researchers do antibody tests on participants to see how the vaccine works, but these kind of trials can also give clues to whether the vaccine makes people asymptomatic or whether it prevents the virus. This is determined through nasal swabs to test for the virus.
Q: Can this cause infertility?
A: One of the highly-discussed long term effects patients are concerned about is whether the vaccine could cause infertility. Experts trace the spread of this idea back to social media, where there was a claim that a protein in the coronaviruss surface spike is the same as one necessary for the placenta to grow. This post then said the body would learn to fight that protein because of the vaccine.
Numerous experts have debunked this claim and groups, including the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, now address this as part of educating people on the vaccine.
Q: Why do children need to get the vaccine if they arent getting as sick?
A: Children are a part of getting to herd immunity, and there are some severe outcomes for children who contract the coronavirus, though its not as common.
Besides children sometimes experiencing symptoms and requiring ventilation or other intensive care, there is a rare condition in children called Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome which the CDC is investigating in relation to COVID-19. Its still not known what causes it, but the condition often appears in children who have the virus or have been exposed.
There have been about 166 children in Ohio treated for this condition.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
With all Missourians now eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine, providers want to make sure people are being as safe as possible and know what the vaccine entails.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has continued to ensure the public of the safety of the vaccine, but the CDC and the vaccinators agree that the information around the vaccine needs to be out there for anyone who may be hesitant.
Dr. Adam Wheeler with Big Tree Medical Home said the way people need to think about getting the vaccine is that the benefits outweigh the risks.
Wheeler said there are not many contraindications to why someone would react badly to the vaccines besides very rare chemical allergies. He said those who do have that type of allergy should look into the ingredients before receiving a shot.
The CDC has full lists of ingredients in the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccine posted for the public.
Wheeler said if you have had an anaphylactic reaction to a chemical where you have gotten a rash, stopped breathing, and passed out, it is important to look over all of the ingredients in the dose you plan to receive.
"There is not a ton of data yet on people who are pregnant or breastfeeding but because people who are pregnant are higher risk, it is still recommended for them to get the vaccine," said Wheeler.
Wheeler said the amount of people that have died over the past year is the reason why people should be concerned about the virus and ready to get the cure.
"If you have something that reduces that risk by almost 100%, then you better have a pretty good reason for not doing it and those just aren't out there," said Wheeler.
It is likely that most people will experience mild symptoms after reeiving the vaccine.
Wheeler said it is most common for people to have a sore arm and many flu like symptoms. He said the mild side effects are a good sign and means your immune system is learning how to fight against the virus.
The CDC says side effects could include:
Wheeler said a lot of health experts have noticed that people who have had the virus previously they may have more side effects to the first dose and the effects may be more severe after getting both doses.
People should seek medical attention if they have shortness of breath or pass out. Wheeler said as far as they know, this is not an effect of the vaccine and is a result of something else happening in your body.
Although little is known about the vaccine protection against the different Covid-19 variants, Wheeler said they believe at this point the vaccine is most preventive against all variants, and can be altered if more information is released.
Wheeler said the vaccine is what will make life go back to 'normal.' "If you have a vaccine and I have a vaccine and we're in close quarters, we don't necessarily need to have masks on anymore.
How long the vaccine will protect you is still uncertain at this point. Dr. Fauci said the time frame right now is looking like at least 6 months, but likely longer.
Columbia / Columbia Video / Coronavirus / Jefferson City / Missouri / Top Stories / Video
CHEYENNE Starting Monday, April 12, the Cheyenne- Laramie County Health Department will move its COVID-19 vaccination site to a new location on South Greeley Highway.
The new vaccination site is located at 614 South Greeley Highway. This building was formerly used by the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services and is located between Town and Country Supermarket Liquors and Safeway.
The new location will include all first- and second-dose appointments scheduled at the health department on or after Monday, April 12.
Kathy Emmons, executive director of the Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Department, stated in a news release, We will be able to better serve our community by providing more doses per day. This location provides more space and accessibility for our patrons. We are excited to start hosting large-scale clinics now that vaccine supply increased.
Vaccinations are now available to all residents in Wyoming over the age of 16. Individuals over the age of 18 are eligible to receive any of the three vaccines that have been authorized for emergency use by the FDA: Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson (Janssen). Individuals under the age of 18 but over the age of 16 are authorized to receive the Pfizer vaccine.
This clinic will primarily distribute Pfizer vaccines; therefore, individuals age 16 and over will be able to register. The clinic will operate Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. by appointment only. Appointments can be made online at laramiecountycovid.com or by calling 307-633-4097.
Other questions regarding the departments vaccinations can be answered by reaching out on Facebook, visiting laramiecountycovid.comor calling 307-633-4000.
Thanks to the advance in medical treatments, we can VERIFY you are in better hands now than if you were infected with coronavirus a year ago.
SEATTLE When the pandemic first hit,death rates were astronomical, in part because of how deadly the novel coronavirus is, but also because it was just that novel or new. Scientists didnt know anything about it.
After a year, are you any better off if you get COVID-19?
To VERIFY, we consulted multiple medical journals and consulted with two experts from the University of Washington: virologist Dr. Alex Greninger andpulmonologist Dr. Vin Gupta, the NBC News medical correspondent.
After a year of such staggering loss, doctors have finally learned which drugs work and which dont like Remdesivir, which is an antiviral medication that was used a lot in ICUs last spring but now doesn't appear to be as effective.
Conversely, doctors discovered that an old trick in their pulmonology playbook is very helpful in attaining their No. 1 goal of preventing death. Its called proning.
"Flipping individuals from their back to their belly several times potentially for weeks on end appears to be beneficial for a certain cohort of critically ill patients," Gupta said.
And a recent study confirmed, In this case series, all patients experienced significant improvement in respiratory status during the initial prone-positioning period.
An even bigger weapon is monoclonal antibodies, which are special COVID super-fighters, that can prevent you from needing a hospital at all.
Another piece of the puzzle is the knowledge that once youre vaccinated, youre far less likely to spread the virus.
"The shedding is going to be much lower," said Greninger. "Most of the numbers I've seen are going to be in the 60 to 70% lower range."
Doctors also learned about the benefits of dexamethasone.
"It helps diminish inflammation that's caused by this virus in the body," Gupta said. "It helps people get off the ventilator more quickly and saves lives. We know that now. We didn't necessarily know that at the beginning of the pandemic."
With the advance in medical treatments, we can VERIFY if you do get coronavirus, you are much better off now compared to people who got a diagnosis in 2020.
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) The head of the Centers for Disease Control has raised awareness about a serious public health threat: racism.
In a recent statement posted on the CDC website, Dr. Rochelle Walensky sounded the alarm about how systemic racism for decades has taken a toll on minorities in America.
The pandemic has exposed how the epidemic of racism set the stage for disproportionate case counts and deaths from COVID-19 for brown and Black people. According to the CDC, American Indian or Alaska Native people had aCOVID-19hospitalization rate about 5.3 times that of white Americans. Hospitalization rates among Black and Latino Americans were about 4.7 times the rate of those who are white.
The nation has three vaccines that can save lives but many minorities are still hesitant to get that shot in the arm because of the nations long history of racism in medicine.
According to the Virginia Department of health, as of April 9, across the state, just under 66% of white people, but only 14% of Black people and just under 9% of Latino people, have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
Nursing students from Norfolk State University are on the front lines helping other minorities put up a fight against the deadly coronavirus.
Through most of April, they are on duty at the FEMA mass vaccination clinic at the former Macys department store in Military Circle Mall. They have also been on the front lines at Ivy Baptist Church in Newport News.
Sporting school colors, green and gold, they are assisting by serving as medical scribes, medical monitors, and by actually putting shots in arms. They even put shots in each others arms in a public display to encourage other minorities to get the coronavirus vaccine.
I see people who arent really comfortable. We do see a lot of hesitancy in the community and they are still hesitant to come back and get the second dose, said university senior Brianna Gray.
Classmate Joelle Rawlins says their presence brings comfort.
A patient actually said they were glad and happy to see us there as Black nurses giving the vaccines. I got vaccinated there, so them seeing that, shows that it [the vaccination] is important., she said.
The class of 2021 is ready for the challenge.
I feel confident and ready, said nursing senior Unique Miller.
The students will get their bachelor of science degrees in July to enter a field that desperately needs them. Its estimated nursing shortages will increase to more than half a million by 2026.
