Vaccine thread :

I’ve been getting some questions about what a Moderna or Pfizer vaccine would mean for QUARANPOD or social distancing rules.

While these vaccines protect against COVID disease WE DO NOT YET KNOW IF THEY PREVENT TRANSMISSION.

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This means that while the vaccine protects YOU we don’t know if it will protect those unvaccinated folks in your family or pod.

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It will absolutely be important to continue good pod rules and continued communication even after some folks may be vaccinated.

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I am soooooo excited for the vaccine but it’s not like a switch : get the shot and everything is fine. It’s gonna take time — up to a year maybe — to get to full social interaction again. We have to continue to work to protect each other.

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I get it. I want the shot so bad and then to 1) get a haircut, 2) get on an airplane, 3) kiss a stranger. I’ll do those things again!!! But not right after my shot.

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But Dr Joe, when will we know if the vaccines prevent transmission/infection?

Good question!!! This was a secondary end point of the clinical trials. We should know in about six months. It’s great that the vaccines prevent disease and death (yay!!).

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We just need patience as science answers these critical questions and as we get as many folks vaccinated as possible.

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TLDR : the vaccines should NOT change your pod rules or distancing behavior. You don’t protect OTHERS by the shot, you do that by distancing (for now) :) :)

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