With the recent progress on the development of a vaccine for COVID-19, the possibility of approved COVID vaccines is a reality. It is normal to have questions regarding the vaccine. With this post we aim to answer some of the frequently asked questions regarding COVID-19 vaccines.

How will the vaccine work?

The COVID-19 vaccines will help our bodies develop immunity to the virus that causes COVID-19 without getting us ill.

At the moment there are three main types of vaccines that are or soon will be undergoing large scale clinical trials in the United States. Although the different types of vaccine will work in different ways to offer protection, all three types will result in the body being left with a supply of memory T-lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that will trigger an immune response when we get exposed to the virus, and B-lymphocytes, defensive white blood cells that produce antibodies. Usually it takes a few weeks for the body to produce the T and B-lymphocytes after vaccination so it is still possible that a person could be infected with the virus just before or just after vaccination and get sick as the vaccine didn’t have enough time to provide protection.

What are the types of vaccines being studied?

• mRNA vaccines contain material from the virus that causes COVID-19 to instruct our cells to make a harmless protein that is unique to the virus. Once our immune system recognizes that the protein is from a different organism, it starts building an immune response.
• Protein subunit vaccines include harmless pieces (proteins) of the virus that cause COVID-19, instead of the entire germ, to trigger the immune response.
• Vector vaccines–this process involves inserting the genetic material from the COVID-19 virus into a weakened version of a harmless virus to start an immune response to COVID-19 without getting us ill.

Can anyone get the vaccine as soon as it is approved?

With the very high demand and limited current availability of the vaccines it is unlikely that everyone will be able to get the vaccine as soon as it is approved for use. Vaccines are expected to set out for transportation as early as 24 hours after approval. It is expected that vaccines will be available for all adults in US around mid-2021. As per the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s phased allocation guideline released on 12/01/2020, the vaccine will be made available in phases.

During the writing of this post, the CDC released their plan for phase-1 rollout which has been divided into three categories:

• Phase-1a includes health care personnel and long-term care facility residents.
• Phase-1b includes essential workers.
• Phase-1c includes adults with high risk medication conditions and adults over the age of 65.

This allocation was done using results from a risk analysis and survey polls. Although this is the recommendation by the CDC, each state will have its own plan for rollout.

How much will it cost?

The vaccines will be available for all Americans at no cost to the patient regardless of their insurance status.

Will the vaccine be safe?

Under Operation Warp speed, the federal government has been working to make a Covid-19 vaccine available as soon as possible. This accelerated timeline may raise concerns for some people that safety may be sacrificed in favor of speed. However, as with all vaccines, safety is a top priority.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is a group of 15 medical and public health experts who are voting members and are responsible for making vaccine recommendations. Even before a vaccine is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an ACIP work group will thoroughly review all available scientific information about the vaccine to present the information to the ACIP committee about the vaccine. The ACIP reviews the safety and effectiveness for each vaccine. Normally the process of authorization of a vaccine can take several years, but due to the severe nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the vaccines, under Operation Warp Speed, are being given Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).

What is an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA)?

In an emergency, like a pandemic, it may not be possible to have all the evidence that the FDA would usually have before approving a drug, device, or a test. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. FDA has issued many emergency use authorizations for tests, as well as treatments.

During a declared emergency, the FDA can decide if it is worth releasing something for use even without all the evidence that would fully establish its effectiveness and safety under normal circumstances. If there’s evidence that strongly suggests that patients have benefited from a treatment or test, the agency can issue an EUA to make it available. The FDA will take into account the scientific data available on the vaccines and the recommendations made by the ACIP and if it satisfies all the required conditions before providing an EUA. After a vaccine receives an EUA, the FDA and the CDC will continue to monitor the safety of the vaccines to make sure every rare side effect is identified.

What are some of the expected side effects?

Side effects from vaccine are not uncommon. A vaccine as common as the flu shot can cause muscle soreness and fatigue among other symptoms. Some of the adverse reactions from the COVID-19 vaccine include:

• allergic reaction
• pain and swelling at the site of injection
• muscle soreness
• mild fever
• headache
• joint pain

The prevalence of the adverse effects was higher in younger patients and with the second dose compared to the first dose. It should also be noted that in most cases the effects resolved within 24 hours after administration.

If I already had COVID-19 and recovered, do I still need to get the vaccine?

At the moment there is not enough information available to say if or for how long after infection someone is protected from getting COVID-19. Evidence suggests natural immunity from COVID-19 may not last very long, but more studies are needed to better understand this. During the time of writing this post there was no available recommendation from the CDC.

Can I stop wearing masks after I get the vaccine?

The vaccine works with the immune system so that our body is able to fight the virus if we are exposed. Precautions like wearing a mask and staying six feet away help reduce our chance of being exposed to or spreading the virus.

Even after you get vaccinated, it takes a few weeks to build immunity to a disease, so it is possible to get sick with COVID-19 even after being vaccinated. As experts learn more about the protection the COVID-19 vaccine provides under real-life conditions, it is important we use all the tools available to us until there is a change in the recommendations.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, it is recommended that you reach out to your Doctor or your neighborhood Pharmacist.

Resources:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html

https://www.vaccines.gov/diseases/covid

https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/vaccines/emergency-use-authorization-vaccines-explained

https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-conclude-phase-3-study-covid-19-vaccine

https://investors.modernatx.com/news-releases/news-release-details/modernas-covid-19-vaccine-candidate-meets-its-primary-efficacy