Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

While its evident that vaccination provides strong protection against the coronavirus, scientists are increasingly concerned vaccinated people may be more susceptible to serious illness than was previously thought.

According to a report by Bloomberg, this growing concern comes in the midst of a shortage of scientific studies with solid answers, leaving public policymakers and corporate executives with only fragmented information on which to base their plans.

As a result, the report noted mask mandates are being renewed and office reopenings are being delayed, while other officials are choosing to maintain the status quo, citing the lack of clarity to justify their decisions.

Anecdotes tell us what the data cant: Vaccinated people appear to be getting the coronavirus at a surprisingly high rate, Bloomberg reported. What isnt clear is the frequency at which this is happening as well as the likelihood of those people spreading the virus to others.

As Bloomberg reports, vaccinated people are much less likely to require hospital treatment for COVID-19 and are much less likely to need to be put on ventilators. And those who have had the COVID-19 vaccine are much less likely to die.

But about 30% of adults have yet to be vaccinated. And doctors are paying attention to infections among those who have been vaccinated.

Tom Frieden, a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the head of the nonprofit Resolve to Save Lives said, We have to be humble about what we do know and what we dont know.

There are a few things we can say definitively. One is that this is a hard question to address, he added.

The vulnerability of the vaccinated is a key variable.

For vaccinated people, the lack of clear public health messaging reportedly has left them confused as to how to protect themselves. Their level of vulnerability is a key variable for public health officials as they try to make informed decisions, such as when booster shots might be needed, or whether to roll back reopenings amid a new wave of the virus.

Its quite clear that we have more breakthroughs now, said Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco. We all know someone who has had one. But we dont have great clinical data.

The report noted one of the best-known outbreaks among vaccinated people that occurred in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Thousands of vaccinated and unvaccinated alike gathered over the July 4th weekend to celebrate the holiday and what appeared to be a turning point in the pandemic. Vaccinated people accounted for about three-fourths of the resulting 469 infections.

Prompted by the incident, the CDC reversed a recommendation it had issued just a few weeks prior and once again urged the vaccinated to mask up in certain settings, Bloomberg reported.

There are more questions than answers.

Bloomberg noted there are simply more questions than answers at this time. Is the delta variant the reason breakthrough infections are ticking up or could it be that immunity is waning, or simply the result of returning to normal life?

Its anyones guess.

Are vaccinated people more vulnerable to severe illness than was previously thought? Just how common are breakthrough infections? the news outlet asked. Its anyones guess.

It is generally the case that we have to make public health decisions based on imperfect data, Frieden said. But there is just a lot we dont know, Bloomberg cited.

An expanded version of this post can be accessed via Bloomberg.

READ MORE:

View post:

Theres growing concern vaccinated people may be more vulnerable to COVID-19 than previously thought - NJ.com

Why Is a Third Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine Needed for Immunocompromised Patients?  Cleveland Clinic

Originally posted here:

Why Is a Third Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine Needed for Immunocompromised Patients? - Cleveland Clinic

BANGKOK, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Thailand expects to have 140 million doses of coronavirus vaccines this year as the country ramps up inoculation to fight its biggest wave of infections, which shows some signs of easing, a government spokesman said on Sunday.

The Southeast Asian country is struggling to tackle the highly transmissible Delta variant of the virus, which has seen a record infections of over 23,000 earlier this month. On Sunday, it reported 16,536 new cases and 264 deaths.

While new cases remain high, they are likely to decline further, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said in a statement.

With new cases slowing, the government on Friday announced to ease some of the strictest containment measures in Bangkok and other 28 high-risk provinces, allowing more travel, and malls and restaurants to reopen from Sept. 1, to help revive a flagging economy https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL4N2PL05N battered by the outbreak.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand is expected to soon issue a statement on the resumption of local flights to and from those areas as well as outbreak control measures.

However, airlines, including Asia Aviation and Bangkok Airways, have already announced the resumption of some local flights from next week.

Thailand started its mass vaccination drive in June, but so far only about 11% of its more than 66 million population has been fully vaccinated. (Reporting by Orathai Sriring and Panarat Thepgumpanat Editing by Michael Perry)

See original here:

Thailand to have 140 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines this year - Yahoo Finance

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) A Johnson City mother and nurse is doing what she can to fight back against COVID-19 by encouraging people to get vaccinated in a creative way.

It all started with a video. During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bethany Teilhet picked up her scissors and cut her own bangs.

I had straightened it, just kind of playing around, and I was like oh, Ill cut my bangs, Ill cut some bangs, which Ive done before, Teilhet said. Well I cut them, and I cut them way too short.

But something has Teilhet wanting to do it again.

I posted it again, and said, Hey, if I can get 100 people newly vaccinated, Ill cut my bangs again,' Teilhet said.

And so far, its working. 12-year-old Ava Nutter was one of at least 25 that have already rolled up their sleeves.

I wanted to get vaccinated because things started getting crazy, and I didnt want to get COVID again like I did in December, Nutter said. I didnt want other people to be sick.

Teilhet is also giving away Starbucks to those who get the shot.

In honor of the new FDA-approval COVID vaccine, I was excited, Teilhet said. I also love Starbucks, and it was the first day of Starbucks having Pumpkin Spice.

Teilhet said shes already received hundreds of dollars in donations from community members to go towards the gift cards.

Theres so much we cant do, Teilhet said. Theres so much we cant control, and so this is just one way that we can maybe have fun, have a little laughter and a little joy, and if that means you know at the cost of me and making fun of myself a little bit, Ill take it.

Read more here:

Local mother, nurse offers creative incentives for those who get the COVID-19 vaccine - WJHL-TV News Channel 11

What is a COVID-19 vaccine passport, and do I need one?

Vaccine passports are digital or paper documents that show you were vaccinated against COVID-19, and could help you get into a growing number of places.

What they look like and why you might want one depend on where you live, but more private venues, workplaces and governments are requiring proof of vaccination in public settings.

Europe and U.S. states like California and New York created official digital credentials that let you verify your COVID-19 immunization record and convert it into a scannable QR code you can pull up on your cellphone.

Most places that require vaccination proof also accept simpler options, such as the paper card noting the dates of your shots from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the U.S., showing a photo of that card on your phone will usually suffice.

Denmark, Greece, France, Italy, some Canadian provinces and the U.S. cities of New Orleans, New York and San Francisco are among the places that have vaccination requirements to get into places like indoor restaurants or theaters. Enforcement varies and many places also accept a recent negative test for the virus, a partial vaccination or proof that you previously recovered from the disease.

Even without government mandates, more businesses in countries where vaccines are readily available are starting to ask for proof that you got the shots, so long as their local governments havent blocked them from doing so.

Officials around the world were initially reluctant to mandate vaccines, but some now hope doing so will persuade more people to get the shots. Businesses requiring proof of vaccination say they are trying to make customers and employees feel safe.

Protesters in France and elsewhere have criticized vaccine mandates as invasive and restricting freedom of movement. Privacy advocates have raised concerns about getting people in the habit of having their phones scanned wherever they go, and generally favor options that wont be tracked, such as a paper record or a digital copy in your phone that can be shown at the door.

Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox.

See original here:

What is a COVID-19 vaccine passport, and do I need one? - The Denver Post

Vaccine rates for this week were 21% higher than the week before and 34% higher compared to two weeks ago, according to DOH data.

OLYMPIA, Wash. More Washington residents are getting vaccinated against COVID-19 as fears over the Delta variant, and unemployment, push more people to seek out the shot.

According to the Washington State Department of Health, the vaccination rate for this week is 21% higher than last week and 34% higher compared to two weeks ago. Health officials say spiking COVID-19 cases and recent vaccination mandates may be driving the increase.

Earlier this month Governor Jay Inslee announcedvaccines will be mandatory for most state employees, and all health care workers in October. A week later he expanded the mandate to include anyone who works on a school campus, from pre-school through state colleges.

Thurston County has seen its vaccination numbers steadily climb through the month of August. Just under 300 people received vaccinations during the first week of the month. The second week more than 350 people sought out the vaccine. A week later, more than 580 people got the shot.

Thurston County is seeing its highest vaccination numbers since the early spring when more people became eligible for the vaccine, according to a county health department spokesperson.

At the county's drop-in clinic at the Capital Mall, a state employee who came to get the shot said he was only getting vaccinated to save his job.

Ryan Harrison, a specialist in the Army, now has to get vaccinated, but he said he decided to for health reasons.

I realized what I read online is not true, Harrison said.

Harrison had been hesitant to get the vaccine because of what he read online about side effects and long-term effects.

"I've had friends who are vaccinated who have made me have a change of heart, to be honest, he said.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is calling on doctors to boost vaccine rates in the county.

The departments blog includes personal testimony of doctors and physicians assistants, including Jeff Boulet.

Boulet is a physicians assistant in Bonney Lake.

In his video featured on the departments blog, Boulet tells the story of a patient who was reluctant to get the vaccine.

"I had a patient die within the last week. And I had this conversation with him 2 months ago and he chose not to get the vaccine, Boulet said. That's the kind of sad story you hear and they really hit home."

Before the vaccine was available, Boulet got COVID-19.

He had shortness of breath for months and still has daily muscle pains. Boulet used to climb mountains, an activity thats been much more difficult post-COVID.

"I'm not here to tell my patients vaccine is completely without risk, there's a risk in everything we do, Boulet said. I'm here to say, however, that Ill take my chances all day with the vaccine versus getting the actual COVID itself."

Original post:

COVID-19 vaccinations increase in Washington following mandates, spike in cases - KING5.com

In the race to get Americans vaccinated, two groups are commanding a lot of attention: Republicans and white evangelicals. Both are less likely to have been vaccinated already and more likely to refuse vaccination altogether.

But its the overlap between white Republicans and white evangelicals that is especially telling, as white evangelical Republicans are among the most likely groups in the U.S. to refuse vaccination. According to a June survey by the Public Religion Research Institute, where Im the research director, and the Interfaith Youth Core, white evangelical Republicans were considerably less likely to say they were vaccinated or planning to get vaccinated as soon as possible (53 percent) than Republicans who were not white evangelicals (62 percent). Moreover, white evangelical Republicans were the most likely of any large subgroup we surveyed to say they were refusing to get vaccinated (26 percent).

That the combination of being a Republican and a white evangelical would form a particularly toxic anti-vax stew, more significant than party or religion alone, seems obvious to me, but then again, I grew up in rural Texas I see this combination of beliefs in motion every day on Facebook, where Im connected to many high school and college classmates.

According to PRRIs 2020 religion census, the county where I lived longest as a kid (Leon) is 72 percent white Christian, including 44 percent white evangelical, and election data shows 87 percent of the county voted for former President Donald Trump in 2020. Just over one-third of the countys eligible population is fully vaccinated, even though COVID-19 case rates are higher than they have ever been. At least three people who went to high school with me have died, while tracking statistics say at least 1 in 9 Leon County residents have been ill almost as many as in New York City (1 in 8), one of the hardest-hit areas in the country, and well over the rate in Washington, D.C. (1 in 13), where I live now.

This is significant because Leon County is extremely rural, with less than 20,000 total residents, including less than 2,000 in Buffalo, the town I lived near. For reference, my high school has only about 260 students at any given time. If you need ICU treatment, you have to travel there are currently no hospitals with ICUs in the county.

But what is also significant about Leon County is the role religion has played in residents low vaccination rates even when faced with death from the coronavirus. When my classmates were hospitalized with COVID-19, there were repeated calls for prayers and proclamations that God would provide healing. When they died, those prayer requests became comments that God called [them] home.

The belief that God controls everything that happens in the world is a core tenet of evangelicalism 84 percent of white evangelicals agreed with this statement in PRRI polling from 2011, while far fewer nonwhite, non-evangelical Christians shared this belief. The same poll also showed that white evangelicals were more likely than any other Christian group to believe that God would punish nations for the sins of some of its citizens and that natural disasters were a sign from God. Whats more, other research from the Journal of Psychology and Theology has found that some evangelical Christians rationalize illnesses like cancer as Gods will.

This is why I remember friends and acquaintances in Leon County when I think about how religious beliefs influence ones attitude toward COVID-19 and vaccination. PRRIs March survey found that 28 percent of white evangelical Republicans agreed that God always rewards those who have faith with good health and will protect them from being infected with COVID-19, compared with 23 percent of Republicans who were not white evangelicals. And that belief correlates more closely with vaccination views among white evangelical Republicans 44 percent of those who said God would protect them from the virus also said they would refuse to get vaccinated. That number drops to 32 percent among Republicans who are not white evangelicals.

Complicating matters further, the pandemic also fits neatly into end times thinking the belief that the end of the world and Gods ultimate judgment is coming soon. In fact, nearly two-thirds of white evangelical Republicans (64 percent) from our March survey agreed that the chaos in the country today meant the end times were near. Faced, then, with the belief that death and the end of the world are a fulfillment of Gods will, it becomes difficult to convince these believers that vaccines are necessary. Sixty-nine percent of white evangelical Republicans who said they refused to get vaccinated agreed that the end times were near.

Moreover, given how many white evangelicals identify as Republican or lean Republican about 4 in 5 per our June survey disentangling evangelicals religious and political beliefs is nearly impossible. Consider how many white evangelical leaders like former Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. downplayed the severity of the pandemic in line with Trump. Falwell was hardly the only evangelical leader to do this either. If anything, the pattern of white evangelical resistance to vaccination has reached the point where some white evangelical leaders who might otherwise urge vaccination hesitate to do so because of the political climate.

In the same survey, about 2 in 5 white evangelical Republicans (43 percent), and Republicans more broadly (41 percent), said one reason they hadnt gotten vaccinated was that the COVID-19 pandemic had been overblown.

It is perhaps unsurprising, then, that most white evangelical Republicans, and Republicans in general, disagreed with our question about the Golden Rule, that because getting vaccinated against COVID-19 helps protect everyone, it is a way to live out the religious principle of loving my neighbors (57 percent and 58 percent, respectively). This may be because for some white evangelicals and Republicans, politics and religion are inseparable and Gods will, or their interpretation of it, controls everything.

Go here to read the rest:

Why Some White Evangelical Republicans Are So Opposed To The COVID-19 Vaccine - FiveThirtyEight

Misinformation about the impact of COVID-19 vaccines on pregnant people and how it may affect fertility and menstruation have spread like wildfire, triggering warnings from health professionals that not enough pregnant women are getting jabbed.

But studies have yet to link any vaccine-related problems with pregnancy and foetal development, or menstrual cycles and fertility in women or men. In fact, studies and experts say it is more dangerous not to get the vaccine.

The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States concluded that COVID-19 vaccines are well-tolerated by people who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or lactating, further suggesting the benefits of having the vaccine far outweighs the risks.

The CDC study is one of the largest of its kind and drew data from a survey of more than 17,000 individuals.

To understand the data behind various studies and to get the facts, Euronews Next spoke to Dr Liudmila Mosina, Technical Specialist on Vaccine-preventable Diseases and Immunization at the World Health Organization (WHO) regional office for Europe.

Dr Mosina: WHO recommends vaccinating pregnant women when the benefits of vaccination outweigh the potential risks.

The information we have got from studies conducted after the introduction of the mRNA vaccines, showed that pregnant women develop antibodies after the vaccination and these antibodies are actually transported in cord blood and breast milk. This suggests that the vaccination will protect not only pregnant women but also their children at an early age.

A recent population-based study from Israel showed that vaccinated pregnant women had a significantly lower risk of COVID-19 infection.

Dr Mosina: We know that pregnant women are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 diseases than women in reproductive age who are not pregnant. We have seen multiple (pieces of) evidence that proves this.

Pregnant women face a higher risk of admission into intensive care units if they get COVID-19 or can be at a higher risk of invasive ventilation.

COVID-19 in pregnancy also poses a risk for babies. Pregnant women who get COVID-19 during the pregnancy have a higher risk of premature delivery and their children are at a higher risk of needing intensive care. These are facts that we know today.

Dr Mosina: When women discuss the vaccine with their medical doctor and it's clear that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risk, then they should be vaccinated right away to protect them against this disease and all the severe complications that can happen.

Dr Mosina: Public health recommendations are continuously changing as new, strong evidence is brought to light.

When the first COVID-19 vaccines became available, WHO experts recommended vaccinating pregnant women who were at high risk of acquiring the disease, i.e. healthcare workers in contact with COVID-19 patients. Back then, we did not have enough data on the safety and efficacy of the vaccination for pregnant women as they were not part of initial clinical trials.

Now we have more evidence on increased risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes in pregnant women. The real-life data from vaccine safety monitoring did not reveal any additional safety signals.

Data from post-introduction studies on mRNA vaccines suggest that vaccination of pregnant women leads to development of protective antibodies and reduces their risk of COVID-19 infection. These new data allowed WHO to update recommendations on vaccinating this group.

Dr Mosina: Available data suggest that there is no risk to the fetus. Early real-life data on safety of mRNA vaccines in pregnant women came from the US, which has a well-established vaccine safety monitoring system. These data did not reveal any additional safety signals for pregnant women or their children.

Other smaller studies also confirmed development of protective antibodies in vaccinated pregnant women, effectiveness of mRNA vaccines in preventing COVID-19 infection, and potential protection of babies.

All COVID-19 vaccines included in the WHO List for Emergency Use are not live vaccines, so they cannot cause disease in women or in their babies.

Myths that COVID vaccines can cause infertility and even erectile dysfunction have done the rounds on social media.

A survey published in March that was conducted in the United Kingdom revealed about a quarter of young women did not want to get the COVID vaccine as they were worried about their fertility.

And in July, Google searches for infertility linked to COVID-19 vaccines increased by nealy 34,0000 per cent.

Despite the fears and misinformation, the vaccine has no known proof that COVID vaccines can affect fertility, according to the WHO.

Dr Mosina: WHO recommends COVID-19 vaccines to all people, including those who plan to have children. Vaccination should not be a reason to postpone or avoid pregnancy. There is no evidence that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, affect fertility in women or men, she said.

Since the COVID-19 vaccination was rolled-out, many vaccinated women became pregnant without any problems. WHO continues monitoring safety of COVID-19 vaccines, including their impact on fertility.

On blogs and across social media, women have shared their stories of a change to their menstrual cycle, such as changes to the regularity and volume (heavier or lighter periods).

A study said it is unclear whether apparent changes are due to COVID-19 infection/illness itself, or other pandemic-related factors like increased psychological stress and changes in health behaviours.

The study also said it was also unclear to what degree current findings are explained by reporting bias, recall bias, selection bias and confounding factors, adding, more research is needed.

But there have been no negative effects on periods reported.

Dr Mosina: Many women participated in clinical trials which did not identify any negative effects of vaccination on the menstruation cycle.

Additional evidence confirming safety of vaccines with regards to menstruation came from national and global vaccine safety monitoring systems after vaccination programmes were rolled-out.

Dr Mosina: People are very cautious when there is something new for them, especially when new vaccines become available.

It is understandable. WHO is striving to provide all information to address peoples concerns and help them better understand the benefits and risks of vaccination and make informed decisions on getting the vaccine.

Dr Mosina: Vaccine misinformation can have negative effects on peoples decisions to get vaccinated.

It is crucially important that not just pregnant women but everybody have access to trusted and evidence-based information.

The role of health authorities, immunisation experts and health agencies in providing this information is crucial. Media also has a major role to play in this. It's extremely important that journalists get the information from reliable sources and help deliver it.

Original post:

Do COVID vaccines affect pregnancy, fertility or periods? We asked the World Health Organization - Euronews

Temple University has set an Oct. 15 deadline for all students, faculty and staff to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The announcement came after the City of Philadelphia implemented a new mandate stating all health-care workers, faculty and students of local colleges and universities need to be fully vaccinated or wear masks while indoors and get tested for COVID-19 at least once per week.

Temple athletics is required to follow university policies, which means all student-athletes and coaches are obligated to receive the vaccine unless they have a medical or religious exemption. Athletes and staff are about 80-85% vaccinated at the moment, said Kevin Addison, Temples associate director of athletic training. A mask mandate also will apply to all athletes when indoors.

While Temples athletic trainers continue to educate athletes and staff on the benefits of the vaccine, those who remain unvaccinated will abide by Philadelphia, NCAA and AAC COVID-19 procedures.

That education process started in earnest last season when players were required to have a nose swab and health check-in before class as part of their daily routine. It continued when they arrived to campus for training camp and received a single polymerase chain reaction or nucleic acid amplification test within five days of arrival.

READ MORE: Villanovas Jay Wright loved his Team USA mens basketball Olympic experience but it wasnt always fun

This year vaccinated athletes will only receive testing if they show symptoms or have a documented close contact, according to the NCAA. But unvaccinated players will receive a PCR test three days before competition or an antigen test within one day of competition. If a community spread is substantial or high, those athletes will take a weekly polymerase chain reaction test or an antigen test three times a week.

[Philadelphias] city guidance right now is three times a week that they have to be tested, and the university is two times a week when youre coming onto campus, said Jessica Reo, executive senior associate athletic director. Right now, our non-vaccinated people are getting tested three times per week.

Temples athletic trainers handled testing last season, monitoring health and positive cases for all student-athletes. With vaccination rates going up, the athletic department will now shift that responsibility and utilize on-campus resources for unvaccinated players who need testing.

With the number of student-athletes that we have that are vaccinated, and the staff that we have that are vaccinated right now, Reo said, weve been able to redirect some of that tracking and stress into care for our student-athletes.

Addisons staff met with Temples athletes in the spring and left them with a piece of paper providing background information on vaccine availability.

In early August, Addisons staff emphasized hygiene and social distancing in talks with athletes, and reminded them to avoid compromised situations.

We were able to kind of keep track of the percentage of each team that was vaccinated and we will reach out to those people who arent vaccinated, Addison said, because they know whats going on in the city is required.

The NCAA and AAC will maintain the same quarantine procedures, but if a vaccinated athlete comes in contact with a positive person theyll continue practicing.

They will have to be tested within three to five days of that exposure, so then they still can practice, they should be masked at all times other than when theyre practicing, Reo said If they are positive, then they go into isolation, just like normal, and they have to be in isolation for 10 days.

Reo said the goal is for student-athletes to take the initiative and communicate with their coaches if they arent feeling well.

Temple athletics motto was flexibility last season, and although restrictions are loosened, the school is still deciding what theyll do if athletes arent vaccinated by the deadline without an exemption. Loss of access to university buildings, suspension or expulsion are all possible risks, senior associate athletic director Lee Roberts said.

Anyone who is not vaccinated will be required to be tested, whether they have a medical or religious exemption, Reo said. Theyre still going to have to be tested regularly if theyre not vaccinated.

Traveling restrictions are another underlying area of concern for unvaccinated coaches and students, whose ability to fly with the team during competition could be affected.

Our kids all travel together, on an airplane and then on the bus, Roberts said. You know who youre traveling with, but theyll have to go back to wearing the mask as needed.

Fans who wish to attend indoor events will be required to wear a mask for entry and be asked to socially distance.

We will probably encourage people to spread out rather than sitting in a cluster, Roberts said. We have the capacity for more than 3,000, so people are more than welcome to spread out.

Outdoor sports, like field hockey and soccer, will not require fans to wear masks in the stands, but Lee could see the protocols changing as proof of vaccination is not currently required.

Temple football will follow the Eagles protocols during home games, which will require fans and stadium staff at Lincoln Financial Field to wear masks in indoor spaces regardless of vaccination status.

We are just trying to limit how much contact you have with people because you dont want to go around asking everyone, Are you vaccinated? Lee said. What we try to do is create some distance, which allows the student-athletes to play their event and also for fans, friends, family to still be able to enjoy the event.

Read more:

Temple athletics staffers share their plans for COVID-19 vaccinations, testing and more - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Worried about potential side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine? Are you unsure what activities are safe following vaccination? Whether youre vaccinated or not, AL.com will be reaching out to public health experts to get your concerns addressed about the COVID-19 vaccine.

Just send an email to vaccines@al.com and well get an expert to directly answer your question.

Here are the questions we have been able to answer for readers.

Vaccinations to protect from COVID-19 have grown in importance with the rise of the delta variant and surging infection numbers and hospitalizations across Alabama. We are taking your questions about the vaccines and getting answers from healthcare experts.

To get some answers, we consulted Rachael Lee, M.D., infectious disease physician, UAB. It should be noted that specific questions about your own health should be addressed with your primary care provider.

Question: We read about people being treated for COVID-19 who ask for the vaccine and are told its too late. Why is it too late? Wouldnt giving them the vaccine help as a treatment?

Lee said the vaccine is not a treatment for COVID-19, but a preventative measure. Once the active infection begins, a vaccine would not be helpful.

There are various therapeutic measures that physicians use to treat active COVID, Lee said. Once recovered, a patient could get the vaccine to help prevent another infection.

How long does someone have to wait? Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, UAB director of the division of infectious diseases, said once your symptoms are resolved and you no longer feel ill, you can get the vaccine. There is no need to wait any specific number of days.

Question: I am fully vaccinated (Pfizer in Jan 2021), but have a newborn who obviously is not. I return to work next week in the medical field from parental leave. I am becoming increasingly worried about bringing COVID home asymptomatically given the rise in Delta variant cases and reports of vaccination protection waning. I intend to get a booster ASAP, but with these not yet available, what additional steps can I take to reduce the risk of me accidently introducing COVID to her?

For this question, we consulted Benjamin Estrada, who leads the department of pediatric infectious diseases at USA Health and Dr. Haidee Custodio, a pediatric infectious disease physician who sees patients at USA Health Childrens & Womens Hospital.

Here are some other things you can do to prevent the spread of COVID.

Here is more information on COVID vaccines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

See more here:

Why cant someone get the COVID-19 vaccine when theyre sick? - AL.com