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Posts Tagged ‘COVID Vaccines’

What to Do After You Have Received Your COVID Vaccine. By Our Student Pharmacist, Aricca Senkow.

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If you have received your COVID vaccine this means that you:

  • have a lesser risk of getting sick
  • will have milder symptoms if you do get sick
  • have lesser risk of hospitalization
  • will have a reduced duration of illness if you get sick

Once you have received your vaccine, you will be considered “fully vaccinated” two weeks after the second dose with the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, or two weeks after the single dose if you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

When those two weeks have passed after vaccination, you have a bit more flexibility in things you can do.

As of May 13, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that individuals who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 no longer need to wear masks or physically distance – whether indoors or outdoors in most circumstances.

The picture below is a great depiction of what things are safe with or without a mask depending on your vaccination status.

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There are a few caveats to this new recommendation.

For those individuals who have compromised immune systems or other heath concerns, they should talk to their doctor about what would be best for them.

Additionally, in certain places like hospitals, other healthcare settings, public transportation, and businesses, you may still be required to wear a mask. Try to check these policies before heading out so you are prepared. Luckily, most places will have free masks in case you forget yours.

If you are fully vaccinated and travel in the United States, you do not need to get tested before or after travel or to self-quarantine after travel.

Pay close attention, however, if you are traveling internationally. You do not need to get tested before leaving the United States unless your destination requires it. You will still need to show a negative test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding an international flight to the Unites States. You should still get tested 3-5 days after international travel, but you do not need to self-quarantine after arriving in the United States.

Continue to monitor your health, because, although fully vaccinated, you can still be a carrier for the virus. If you do develop symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested and stay home and away from others.

It is important to remember that even if you are fully vaccinated, please do what is comfortable for you even if that means still wearing your mask when around others. Data from this past winter has shown that masking and physically distancing helped stopped the spread of other respiratory diseases such as the flu.

Regardless of your vaccination status, continue washing your hands frequently with soap and water or use hand sanitizer, cover coughs and sneezes, and clean and disinfect high touch surfaces daily. Avoid touching your face and eyes, as well. These common sense steps are the best way to prevent any illnesses from spreading.

Sources:

Edwards E, Bennett G, Alba M. Fully vaccinated? You can ditch the mask, CDC says. NBCNews.com. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/cdc-plans-drop-mask-requirements-fully-vaccinated-people-n1267249. Published May 13, 2021. Accessed May 20, 2021.

Howley E. Here’s What’s Safe to Do After Getting Your COVID-19 Vaccine. U.S. News & World Report. https://health.usnews.com/conditions/coronavirus-and-your-health/articles/whats-safe-after-covid-19-vaccine. Published March 19, 2021. Accessed May 20, 2021.

What To Do Before, During And After Getting Your COVID-19 Vaccine? 1mg Capsules. https://www.1mg.com/articles/what-to-do-before-during-and-after-getting-your-covid-19-vaccine/. Published May 20, 2021. Accessed May 20, 2021.

When You’ve Been Fully Vaccinated. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html. Published May 16, 2021. Accessed May 20, 2021.

Wong W. Fauci says public is ‘misinterpreting’ latest CDC mask guidance. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/fauci-says-public-is-misinterpreting-latest-cdc-mask-guidance/ar-AAKcgAl?ocid=msedgntp. Published May 20, 2021. Accessed May 20, 2021.

 

Myths and Facts About the COVID Vaccines. By Our Student Pharmacist, Aricca Senkow.

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On April 13, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that out of more than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine that had been administered, there were six reports of a rare and severe type of blood clot (cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST)) combined with low blood platelet levels (thrombocytopenia) occurring in people after receiving the vaccine. When these two conditions occur at the same time, the resulting condition is known as thrombosis-thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). All six cases were in women ages 18 to 59. Reports indicated symptom onset began between 6 and 15 days after vaccination.

Because of these events, the FDA decided to place a pause on the Janssen vaccine so that they could examine available data and conduct an extensive outreach to healthcare providers to make sure they know the signs of this syndrome and how to properly treat it.

After 10 days, the pause on giving the vaccine was lifted on April 23 and both the FDA and CDC have confidence that this vaccine is safe and effective in preventing COVID-19. The available data shows that the benefit of receiving the vaccine outweighs the risk associated with it.

Due to the pause, there has been some hesitancy among people about getting the vaccine.

Here are some common myths about the COVID vaccines debunked:

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Myth 1: We don’t know what is in these vaccines:

All three companies, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen have published their vaccine ingredients online and the list can be found on the CDC website:

Most of the ingredients in these vaccines are similar to those found in the annual flu vaccine. The links listed below from the FDA and CDC are great resources to look at the ingredients in the COVID-19 vaccines, and those that are normally used in other vaccines.

Myth 2: We can’t trust COVID-19 vaccines because they were rushed

The technology used to develop the vaccines is new to the public eye, but it has been researched for more than three decades. This technology has been developed quite well and tested in several animal models of infection over the years. Since COVID-19 is so prevalent, it took only a few months for researchers to gather enough data to make an evaluation, whereas with other vaccines for a less prevalent disease, it may take much longer because it can be so difficult to find participants.

Another contributing factor to the rollout speed of the vaccine was the massive government investment. Drug and vaccine trials take enormous amounts of money, and often companies have trouble with these expenses, so the government assistance in this instance was a big help.

Myth 3: The COVID-19 vaccine and the side effects are dangerous

The most common side effects of receiving the COVID-19 vaccines are tiredness, achiness, and fever, but these only last for a day or two. There is much evidence that supports the safety of the vaccines.

As mentioned above, the blood clot syndrome that resulted with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is an extremely rare side effect. Out of the approximate 7 million people who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, only six people had this side effect. The clotting side effect is so rare that the chances are twice as rare as getting hit by lightning. It is also a complication that can happen if you’re infected by COVID-19, so it is not specific to the vaccine itself.

These two websites have more myths debunked and are reliable sources:

Please call or stop in if you have any question regarding concerns over the vaccines, we will be happy to help!

Sources:

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. Common Ingredients in U.S. Licensed Vaccines. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/safety-availability-biologics/common-ingredients-us-licensed-vaccines. Published April 19, 2019. Accessed May 4, 2021.

Commissioner of the. FDA and cdc LIFT Recommended pause on Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) Covid-19 vaccine use Following Thorough safety review. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-and-cdc-lift-recommended-pause-johnson-johnson-janssen-covid-19-vaccine-use-following-thorough. Published April 23, 2021. Accessed May 4, 2021.

Different COVID-19 Vaccines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines.html. Published April 23, 2021. Accessed May 4, 2021.

Grace Dickinson TPI(TNS. Nervous about getting the COVID-19 vaccine? Don’t believe these myths. newstribune.com. https://www.newstribune.com/news/health/story/2021/may/04/nervous-about-getting-the-covid-19-vaccine-dont-believe-these-myths/869755/. Published May 4, 2021. Accessed May 4, 2021.

What’s in Vaccines? Ingredients and Vaccine Safety. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/additives.htm. Published August 5, 2019. Accessed May 4, 2021.

9 Common COVID-19 Vaccine Myths Explained. Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/8-common-covid-19-vaccine-myths-explained/. Published March 18, 2021. Accessed May 4, 2021.