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

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