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If 2020 was the year of the COVID pandemic, Zoom meetings, and online learning, 2021 could be remembered as the year we eventually return to a semblance of normality, thanks to a number of safe and effective COVID vaccines which were formulated, tested, and put on the market at record speed.
The logistics of administering the vaccine to hundreds of millions of U.S. residents is complicated. The initial rollout of the vaccine has not gone smoothly, and while the number of Americans who say they will definitely get inoculated has increased, there still exists a number of people who are hesitant (including some healthcare workers).
“I think everyone has concerns about the vaccine. But I have read the science on how it works and feel confident about it," California mom Cheryl Rosenberg told Mom.com. "The biggest plus is the lessening of the constant anxiety about contracting COVID and keeping my kids safe.”
Jamie Lentzner is another mother from California who indicated to Mom.com that she is anxious to get her COVID inoculation. “Yes, because the science behind it has been developed over 17 years,” she said. (It actually goes back farther, beginning in the 1990s.)
Here are seven other things you should know about the COVID vaccine:
What to know about COVID vaccine safety
1. The Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines are safe and revolutionary.
“The COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are different from traditional vaccines,” Dr. Margaret Crossman of Halifax Medical explained to Mom.com. “They’re not made with live, dead, or weak virus. Instead, they're made with messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA). This is a type of molecule that gives instructions for how to make different kinds of proteins. mRNA molecules are a natural part of our cells and how our bodies work."
Dr. Crossman went on to explain "spike proteins" that are created by your own cells. "Your immune system sees this spike protein as a threat, and creates antibodies and other defenses against it. This will help your body's immune system recognize and fight the real virus if it ever shows up," she said. "It’s kind of like recognizing someone by the hat they wear. Your body is then prepared to spot COVID-19 and fight it off before it grows in your body’s cells.”
2. The vaccine trials were conducted in record time, but the technology has been in development for over a decade.
“According to the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. vaccine safety system ensures that all vaccines are as safe as possible,” Ramin Ahmadi, MD, of Graduate Medical Education Global told Mom.com. “The process for approving a drug is rigorous, and safety is a top priority."
Dr. Ahmadi explained that while the mRNA vaccine is new, we shouldn't be afraid of it. “New technology does not have to be frightening," he said. "People can’t change their iPhone model every year and expect to use the same vaccine that was made in the last century! Vaccine technology improves and changes just like your cell phone. The number of people who participated in these new vaccine trials was based on the latest FDA requirements for a safe vaccine.”
The two COVID vaccines in use now have received FDA approval for emergency use.
3. You will need two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
“During the vaccine study phase, the majority of the recipients developed the neutralizing antibody after the second dose. Developing critical antibodies is only one part of immunity against the virus," Dr. Ahmadi explained. "Memory cells and other immune cells also have to be recruited and developed. While it is possible to become immune after one dose, the second dose ensures that the body has developed the necessary immunity for increased efficacy.”
Pfizer’s vaccine is 95% effective, and Moderna’s is 94% effective. Pfizer’s second dose is given 21 days after the initial vaccine. Moderna’s is given 28 days after the first administration. The dosing schedule is one of the factors complicating the vaccine’s distribution.
The concern about reserving enough second doses for people is another factor that has slowed the vaccine’s rollout. With a new COVID strain that is much more contagious, officials in the United Kingdom recently decided to focus on getting first doses out to as many people as possible (even if it delays administering the second dose). The incoming Biden Administration is considering a similar tack.
4. The vaccines are not yet approved for people under the age of 16.
The Pfizer vaccine can be given to individuals 16 and over, but you have to be 18 to receive the Moderna vaccine. The age limitations are due to the fact that these vaccines were not tested on children, so they do not have approval yet. Moderna will soon be conducting a trial on children ages 12–17.
What to know about COVID vaccine side effects
5. The vaccine cannot give you COVID — but you may experience side effects.
“Injection site pain and swelling are common after vaccine administration. Some may get fatigue, headaches, or fever,” family practice doctor Kristina Scanlan, OD, told Mom.com. “The side effects are more common after the second vaccine dose but are typically short-lived.”
Dr. Crossman further explained how some of the side effects are actually a positive sign. “The side effects of the vaccine mean your immune system is working, not that you have the virus,” she said.
6. A few people experience allergic reactions to the COVID vaccine.
When you receive your vaccine, it is standard for medical personnel to keep you in the office for a 15-minute observation period. But if you have a history of anaphylaxis, you will be asked to stay for 30 minutes.
“Severe allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis are uncommon but can occur. On-site staff is trained on how to respond to severe allergic reactions," assured Dr. Scanlan. "[All cases of severe allergic reactions occurred during the waiting period after vaccine administration.]"(https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/slides-2020-12/slides-12-19/05-COVID-CLARK.pdf)”
Where and when you’ll get your COVID vaccine
7. The vaccine schedule may be changing.
At the time the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines received their approvals, the federal government allocated supplies to each of the states based on population. The CDC put out guidelines to jumpstart the vaccination. They prioritized healthcare personnel and vulnerable residents of long-term care facilities (group 1A), to be followed by seniors age 75 and over and frontline essential workers (group 1B).
Since then, administrators have made some changes to the distribution plan. Some of the states are ramping it up by making the vaccine available at large venues like fairgrounds and stadiums. And the states are now authorized to give the vaccine out to any senior who wants it, age 65 and older — that is, if they can get one. Demand is still much greater than supply. That should change as new vaccines from Astra-Zeneca and Johnson & Johnson get approval and come online.
