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Ive had a few conversations with non-medical folk about taking the vaccine, most recently with the boys I grew up with. Real questions have come up, and they're not stupid questions. The answers are things I learned in med school or residency. We gotta address these.
1) What about long term effects? What if they are worse than getting COVID itself?
A1: the way this vaccine is made is different from the ones we got as children. Its not a killed or weakened live virus. Its a synthetic blueprint to a protein on the outside of Covid. In theory,
A1: the way this vaccine is made is different from the ones we got as children. Its not a killed or weakened live virus. Its a synthetic blueprint to a protein on the outside of Covid. In theory,
A1: that lowers the risk of any adverse long term effects. If anyone has an issue with the vaccine, it should reveal itself pretty early on (within days). Remember, the vast majority of Americans received actual virus in a vaccine and only received immunity as a long term effect.
2) Why don't we have a vaccine for HIV yet?
A2) HIV is Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Vaccines work by preparing your immune system for the real thing. HIV shuts down your immune system, instead of activating it. Its a conundrum that some people have spent their entire careers on.
A2) HIV is Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Vaccines work by preparing your immune system for the real thing. HIV shuts down your immune system, instead of activating it. Its a conundrum that some people have spent their entire careers on.
A2) The community hasn't given up on trying to find a vaccine for it. But on the plus side, treatment for HIV has evolved exponentially in the last 3 decades. Its not the death sentence it used to be, as long as patients take the available medications to suppress it.
3) The death rate is so low though! If it's just a bad flu, why can't we wait for herd immunity?
A3) In the US, the death rate for COVID is somewhere around 2%. If we wait for herd immunity even with "small" rate, over 6 million people will die in the US. Then there's also...
A3) In the US, the death rate for COVID is somewhere around 2%. If we wait for herd immunity even with "small" rate, over 6 million people will die in the US. Then there's also...
A3) the long term effects of Covid survivors. Some have fatigue that last months after. Some will need rehab to regain coordination of their body after being intubated and sedated. We don't have numbers on that yet.
4) My close loved one has an immune problem. I don't want to take it to protect him/her/them.
A4) I get this. However, science tells us that it is safe, and even recommended for folks with normal immune systems to receive inactivated (killed) vaccines even if they live with an
A4) I get this. However, science tells us that it is safe, and even recommended for folks with normal immune systems to receive inactivated (killed) vaccines even if they live with an
A4) immunocompromised individual. There are certain live vaccines that can be taken as well, with caveats for protection. Again (see A1) the COVID vaccine is neither live or killed virus. It is a blueprint of a protein. You can't spread actual virus from getting the vaccine.
5) Where's the proof that this works?
A5) This is the easiest graph to show efficacy from the Pfizer trial. Test subjects in the red line got the real vaccine. The blue line got a fake vaccine (placebo). The placebo group got COVID much more often.
A5) This is the easiest graph to show efficacy from the Pfizer trial. Test subjects in the red line got the real vaccine. The blue line got a fake vaccine (placebo). The placebo group got COVID much more often.
6) Are you getting the vaccine?
A6) LOL yes, as soon as I'm able. I actually came down with COVID not too long ago. It was rough but I've recovered. The recommendation is to wait 90 days from that diagnosis before receiving the vaccine, so I've got some time before I can get it.
A6) LOL yes, as soon as I'm able. I actually came down with COVID not too long ago. It was rough but I've recovered. The recommendation is to wait 90 days from that diagnosis before receiving the vaccine, so I've got some time before I can get it.
7) Is it safe for pregnant or breastfeeding women?
A7) None of the test subjects were pregnant at time of receiving the vaccine, so this question comes up a lot. Doctors recommend pregnant/breastfeeding women to received killed vaccines (i.e. the flu shot or tetanus booster),
A7) None of the test subjects were pregnant at time of receiving the vaccine, so this question comes up a lot. Doctors recommend pregnant/breastfeeding women to received killed vaccines (i.e. the flu shot or tetanus booster),
A7) so using the same thought process in A1, I would imagine it's safe. As it turns, out the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology agrees. Check the link! https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-advisory/articles/2020/12/vaccinating-pregnant-and-lactating-patients-against-covid-19?fbclid=IwAR2n2VwoC0F7HwOFH4Kdg2850sKIiso-s9yPjJ83PSEs7471hZA0YWaTJjc
8) What about these new "strains" I've been hearing about in the news? Will the vaccine still work?
A8) @KizzyPhD breaks this answer down quite nicely (link below), but I'm going to bust in a mini biochemistry lecture as well to explain why you don't have to worry about this.
A8) @KizzyPhD breaks this answer down quite nicely (link below), but I'm going to bust in a mini biochemistry lecture as well to explain why you don't have to worry about this.
A8) So the vaccine works by sending the mRNA (a more processed form of DNA) into your cells. Your cells read the mRNA like a blueprint and produce not just one, but several proteins found on the outside of COVID. The vaccine is "POLYCLONAL", meaning it covers multiple proteins.
A8) A single, or even 2 or 3 COVID mutations won't stop the vaccine from working at multiple levels. It takes way more to stop even one antibody your body creates from the vaccine from binding to the outside protein. And we have multiple antibodies to multiple proteins, so thats
