CONNECTICUT, USA — The COVID-19 vaccine is what families all over the country are talking about, and we know there are a lot of questions about it. So, we went to Dr. Syed Hussain, who is the chief clinical officer at Trinity Health of New England, for answers to your questions.
*Dan asked: Can we select which shot we want to take, Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson?
Dr. Hussain: Unfortunately given our limited supply of the vaccine, we’re not in a position to offer vaccine choices. The important thing for people to remember is between the two current licensed vaccines: Moderna and Pfizer, there are highly effective and safe vaccines, as is the Johnson & Johnson one, when it is approved - which is expected in a matter of days.
*Marsha is wondering: Does the vaccine interact with certain drugs, say for instance blood thinners?
Dr. Hussain: Marsha, a couple of things I can say is that it’s important to make an informed decision after talking to your primary care doctor. We’ve administered over 68 million doses of the vaccine in the US since December. And the CDC has not come out with any recommendations that say one group of medications is contrary indicated or anything along those lines.
*Stella wants to know: Can someone with a COVID vaccine still be asymptomatic and isn’t it bad practice not to quarantine?
Dr. Hussain: While the CDC does not recommend routine testing, if you have symptoms and test positive, it’s important to isolate for 10-14 days before you raise your hand to get the vaccine. And I also want to reiterate the importance of masking and social distancing and avoiding gatherings. That’s why it’s critically important as we go through the vaccine process that we stick to the Public health measures.
*Tammy is asking: Are there any reports about deaths and adverse effects from these vaccines?
Dr. Hussain: Great question Tammy! We have administered 68 million doses so far, and the rate of anaphylaxis to the vaccine is very low; it’s 2-5 persons per 100-thousand doses administered. And in terms of side effects there very similar to the two clinical studies we saw from Pfizer and Moderna. So you may experience injection site pain, swelling, redness fever chills, body aches, or joint aches, but the good news is they are mild to moderate in intensity and don’t last more than 24-48 hours,
If you have a questions you need help getting answered, ask our vaccine team: SHARE61@F0X61.COM