It's 2021- Get Vaccinated!

It has been a little over a month since the first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine were administered in the U.S. on December 14th. There is still hope and excitement regarding the vaccine and how it can help stem the transmission of the virus and stop the progression of the pandemic. Although there has been some mixed messaging about the vaccine and who should get vaccinated, the important message is that people should get vaccinated!

What groups should be vaccinated now?

The initial roll-out of the vaccine program targeted front-line healthcare workers and the elderly in nursing homes. But just last week on January 12th the CDC extended the group to include people who are 65 and older and people between 16 and 64 who have medical conditions, such as cancer, chronic kidney disease, heart conditions, and pulmonary conditions. According to the CDC website, as of January 15th, over 12 million people have gotten their first dose of the vaccine and over 31 million doses have been distributed. These numbers are disappointing since the initial national-wide goal was to vaccinate 20 million people by the end of 2020. Experts are citing that greater than 70% of the population needs to be vaccinated to create herd immunity to the virus.

As with any new public health initiative, there have been many challenges with the vaccine program which include the availability of the vaccine, registration for the vaccine, where to get it, and convincing people to take the vaccine. There are a large number of people in the country who are skeptical about getting vaccinated. According to a recent survey done by the Associated Press NORC Center for Public Affairs, a quarter of Americans say they are unsure about the vaccine, and another quarter says they won’t get immunized.

What the experts are saying.

According to a NY Times article on January 18, 2021, Dr. Aaron Richterman, an Infectious Disease expert at the University of Pennsylvania cited that we are “underselling the vaccine”. What the public should be hearing is that these vaccines, the Pfizer and Moderna Covid vaccines are very encouraging and do have good results.

Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are the vaccines currently being used, showed a 95% efficacy rate after two injections. In an article written by Dr. Paul Sax, a professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and an Infectious Disease physician, he cites in the FAQs in the New England Journal article, that these vaccines are safe. However, he does make the point that no vaccine is 100% without side effects and the same applies to these new vaccines. The common side effects someone can experience are pain at the injection site, body aches, and a low-grade fever. The serious side effects that have been seen to date may include an anaphylactic reaction that can require the administration of emergency medication and treatment.

My personal vaccination experience.

As a nurse and a patient advocate, who has contact with many vulnerable clients, I realized the importance of getting vaccinated. I must admit, I did have mixed feelings about receiving the vaccine because it was so new and being rolled out so quickly. What made my decision much easier was the review of the vaccine study information, which included the efficacy and safety of the vaccine. Sources that I trust for information included the CDC website on vaccine recommendations, virologists who are on the FDA advisory board that reviewed these data and articles from infectious disease experts.

Selecting a location for the vaccination.

Once I made the decision to get vaccinated the next thing I needed to do was to research where I could get the vaccine. As a 1A tier healthcare worker, I knew I was eligible for the first wave of vaccine distribution, but because I was not affiliated with a hospital system or facility I had to find a location. I would advise anyone looking for a vaccination location to start on their state health department website. In most states, as in New Jersey, there is a website set up solely for the vaccine program.

In doing my search on the state website, I found that the vaccine was being offered at different locations in each county. Counties were setting up large “super-sites” in malls, pharmacies, and even large supermarkets to accommodate vaccinating large groups. Once registered, I chose to go to a large super-site in a mall location that was organized and manned by staff from a health care facility in the community.

My experience in getting vaccinated went very smoothly! The entire process took roughly 35 minutes, which included the fifteen-minute observation period after I received my vaccine. The program was well run, efficient, and extremely organized.

Practical “take-aways” for anyone who is deciding to get the Covid-19 vaccine.

Whether you are a healthcare worker or a member of the general public deciding to get vaccinated, here are a few points that may help you make your decision:

  • Get information about the vaccine efficacy and safety from reliable sources, such as the CDC, your state health department, or your primary physician.

  • Talk to an Infectious Disease specialist if you have specific questions about the vaccine.

  • Get information about vaccination site locations from your state health department website or your county website.

  • Check your primary practitioner’s website- this may contain information about vaccination sites and registration information.

  • Talk to your primary care physician if you have an underlying condition that may prohibit you from getting the vaccine, such as a history of anaphylaxis. A history of common allergies, such as a food allergy or an allergy to medication will not prevent you from being vaccinated.

  • Talk to your physician about getting the vaccine especially if you are in a high-risk group for Covid-19 and getting the vaccine would be beneficial to you. High-risk groups include healthcare workers, people with a history of comorbidities, such as diabetes and heart disease, and the elderly.

  • The guidelines for the Covid-19 vaccination program are changing rapidly so stay well informed by checking the CDC website frequently, https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

Right now the most effective ways we can prevent the spread of Covid-19 is through wearing a mask, social distancing, and handwashing. Fortunately, at this time we can also add vaccination to this list of preventative measures!