By Olaide Adeosun (nee Akinterinwa)
I understand that so many people may be concerned about getting vaccinated now that Covid-19 vaccines are available all over the world. Some may have heard stories of people reacting badly to the vaccine which in turn has caused some sort of hesitation with them getting the vaccine. Some of these stories have been proven to be true while some has been debunked as fake stories. About four covid vaccines have been developed and approved; and more Covid-19 vaccines are being developed around the world so let us be assured that there are strict processes and procedures put in place to ensure the safety of any vaccine that is authorized or approved for use.
Currently, there are a few Covid-19 vaccines that have been approved for use around the world. The most popular are:
- Pfizer-BioNTech – two shots given and recommended for 16 years and older
- Moderna – two shots given and recommended for 18 years and older
- Johnson & Johnson / Janssen – One shot given and recommended for 18 years and older
- Covishield/AstraZeneca – two shots given and recommended for 18 years and older
A clinical trial for kids called KidCOVE is underway in the United states and Canada. The study will enroll approximately 6,750 children between the ages of 6 months and 11 years old to see if the vaccine protects children from getting sick if they come into contact with coronavirus. This trial is already in phase2/3.
The COVID-19 vaccines produce protection against the disease as a result of developing an immune response to the SARS-Cov-2 virus. Below is a summary of the benefits of getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
COVID-19 Vaccination will keep you from getting COVID-19. Most of the vaccines currently available have been shown to be highly effective at preventing COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccines that are in the development stage are being carefully evaluated in clinical trials and will be approved only if they make it significantly less likely you will get COVID-19. Developing immunity through vaccination means there is a reduced risk of developing the illness and its consequences.
Also, based on the early data from clinical trials, experts believe that getting the vaccine may also help keep you from getting seriously ill if you do get COVID-19. The immunity from the vaccine helps you fight the virus if exposed.
Getting vaccinated may also protect people around you because if you are protected from getting infected and from disease, you are less likely to infect someone else. This is particularly important to protect people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19, such as healthcare providers, older or elderly adults, and people with other medical conditions.
The COVID-19 Vaccine is a safe way to help build protection. According to the Center for Disease control (CDC), the virus can have serious, life-threatening complications and there is no way to know how the COVID-19 will affect you. If you get sick, you could spread the disease to friends, family and others around you.
To help stop the pandemic, COVID-19 vaccination will be an important tool. Getting vaccinated and following CDC’s recommendations to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from COVID-29. Wearing a mask, social distancing, washing of hands help reduce the chance of being exposed to the virus or spreading it to others but vaccines will work better with your immune system to fight the virus if you are exposed.
We all must do our part to protect one another. Immunization is the single most effective means of protecting yourself, your loved ones and the greater community form COVID-19.
Who should not get vaccinated?
- According to the CDC if you have had a severe allergic reaction or an immediate allergic reaction even if it was not so severe to any ingredient in the mRNA COVID-29 vaccine such as polyethylene glycol, J&J/Janssen vaccine such as polysorbate.
- If you have had a severe allergic reaction or an immediate allergic reaction even if it was not so severe after getting the first dose of the vaccine, you should not get a second dose of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.
- An allergic reaction is considered severe when a person must be treated with epinephrine or EpiPen or if they have to go to the hospital to be treated.
- An immediate allergic reaction means a reaction within 4 hours of getting vaccinated including symptoms such as hives, swelling or wheezing.
Like I said in my previous editorial ‘Coping during the COVID-19 pandemic’, we may have to live with the virus just like we have learnt to live with other viruses such as polio, measles, smallpox, flu, chicken pox and so on. We will come out of the lock downs, social distancing, curfews, and physical distancing at some point; it is only for a short time, as we must do what we have to do.
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