What You Need To Know About the COVID-19 Vaccine
Since the beginning of 2020, COVID-19 has upended our lives. It has devastated millions of households and brought global economies to a grinding halt. But by the end of that same year, governments approved vaccines that are touted to be 95% effective. While you’re curious about the vaccine, you may be skeptical about how quickly it was developed and whether it works. You probably wonder if it’s actually safe after hearing some questionable claims about it. We’ll try to answer some of your questions here so that you’re well informed when deciding whether to get vaccinated.
What does the COVID-19 vaccine do and how does it work?
Our immune system is often able to fight off germs on its own. The first time we are exposed to a germ like the one causing COVID-19, it takes days or weeks for the immune system to develop the tools needed to fight the infection. This is the time when you might experience symptoms. After you recover from it, the body keeps a “memory” of the virus so that the next time you’re exposed, it can quickly neutralize it before you ever develop symptoms.
The vaccine prevents you from getting sick with COVID-19. It does so by serving as that ‘first exposure’ that allows the immune system to create a ‘memory’. It introduces your body to a protein found on the surface of the virus known as spike protein. If you are later exposed to the virus, your body can quickly fight it off before you experience any illness.
Typically, vaccines are made from a small piece of a germ that causes disease, or from a weakened or ‘dead’ germ. What makes this vaccine different from others is that it is made from messenger RNA or mRNA. mRNA instructs our cells to make a spike protein. Keep in mind that the spike protein is harmless on its own. This new way of vaccine delivery is much faster to produce than the previous methods.
How long after the vaccine will I have immunity?
The FDA granted emergency use authorization to two vaccines produced by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna. They require two shots 21 and 28 days apart, respectively. You are considered to have full immunity 7-14 days after receiving your second shot.
What are the risks of getting vaccinated?
The most common side effects are pain in the injected arm, fatigue, headache, chills, and muscle or joint pain that are all short-lived. This cluster of side effects is known as “reactogenicity” and it is normal for any vaccine. This is a sign that our immune system is being activated.
Anaphylaxis, which is an immediate and severe reaction to the vaccine has been reported. But this has been exceedingly rare, with three to five cases reported per one million people vaccinated. This is the reason people need to be observed for 15 minutes after receiving the vaccine in a facility that is capable of managing the reaction.
There are many myths and rumors going around. Some have claimed the vaccine gives you COVID-19. The vaccine does not contain live virus and so cannot cause the disease. Some have claimed that it can cause infertility or change your DNA. Rest assured that none of these are true or plausible from a scientific standpoint.
It was approved so quickly - did it really undergo enough safety testing?
It is true that this vaccine was approved at a breakneck speed compared to other vaccines which may take decades. There were several factors that helped speed up the process.
The scientific groundwork for the vaccine had been laid long before COVID-19 appeared. Using mRNA is what enabled scientists to develop and produce this vaccine much faster than was previously possible. While the use of mRNA was never tested on such a large scale, it has been studied for three decades. There had also been extensive research into the genetic makeup of similar coronaviruses such as the SARS and MERS which enabled rapid identification of a vaccine target.
Furthermore, governments moved quickly to eliminate one of the biggest hurdles to vaccine development – funding. The US government poured billions into vaccine development which meant drug companies could take financial risks they otherwise wouldn’t. Normally testing would be sequential making sure each step is successful before moving forward. This funding allowed companies to run trials simultaneously without fear of failure and financial consequences.
The fact that COVID-19 is widespread also helped clinical trials move quickly with enrolling participants and showing the vaccines work. Pfizer and Moderna enrolled a staggering 80,000 participants in four months across multiple continents. It is difficult to prove a vaccine prevents disease when very few people catch it.
Overall, a variety of circumstances aided in the rapid development of this vaccine while ensuring adequate safety checks were performed.
I already had COVID-19. Do I need to get vaccinated?
Yes! After getting COVID-19, you develop immunity which protects you from being re-infected. However, we don’t yet know how long the immunity lasts. As a result, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that those who already had the disease get vaccinated anyway.
Once I get my vaccine do I still need to take precautions like wearing a mask and social distancing?
Yes! It’s important we continue to practice safety precautions. While studies have shown that the vaccine prevents someone from being sick, we still don’t know whether it prevents transmission from person to person.
When and how can I get the vaccine?
According to CDC’s guidelines, the first group to get vaccinated should include healthcare personnel and long-term care facility residents and staff. These people are considered to be at highest risk of exposure, or high risk of illness and death from COVID-19. The CDC recommends that frontline essential workers and those 75 years or older should be vaccinated next, followed by those 65 and older or those with underlying medical conditions.
That said, there is wide variation in how local and state governments have chosen to allocate vaccines. And the situation can change quickly depending on vaccine availability. Because of this, it is best to check with your local health authorities to get the latest information on whether you are eligible and how you can sign up.
Pregnant Women and Children
Pregnant women were not included in the clinical trials. According to the CDC, a pregnant woman may receive the vaccine if she is part of a priority group. Otherwise, the CDC is leaving it up to individuals to decide, weighing the risks of catching the disease against the benefits of protection from COVID-19. It’s important to note that pregnant women are at increased risk of severe illness.
While children are less likely to get sick from COVID-9, they can still transmit it. Young children were not included in the studies, with the exception of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine which was approved for children ages 16 or older. Both Pfizer and Moderna are currently testing their vaccines in children 12 years and older.
Summary
The vaccine prevents people from getting sick with COVID-19. Studies have so far shown that it is highly effective and safe. The most common adverse reactions are minor and short-lived including pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache, chills and muscle or joint pain. There are several factors that led to the rapid development without cutting corners on safety. These included extensive previous research, tremendous funding from the government and the virus’s high prevalence. If you are interested in receiving the vaccine, check with your local health authorities for the latest information on whether you are eligible and how you can sign up.
References
Baden RB, Sahly HM, Essink B, Kotloff K, Frey S, Novak R, et al. Efficacy and Safety of the mRNA-1273 SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine. NJEM. 2020 Dec. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2035389
Ball P. The lightning-fast quest for COVID vaccines — and what it means for other diseases. Nature. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03626-1
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus
Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center. https://coronavirus.jhu.edu
Komaroff A. Why are mRNA vaccines so exciting? Harvard Health Publishing. Dec 2020. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-are-mrna-vaccines-so-exciting-2020121021599
Polack FP, Thomas SJ, Kitchin N, Absalon J, Gurtman A, Lockhart S, et al. S afety and Efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine. N Engl J Med 2020; 383:2603-2615. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2034577
