While England has approved the Pfizer Covid vaccine, and will begin administering it next week, the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval is expected on or about Dec. 11. The Moderna vaccine is about a week behind and it’s feasible that by Christmas, both vaccines will be approved and distribution begun.
AstraZeneca has yet to apply for approval to the FDA but their vaccine does provide advantages over Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, as far as storage. All of them appear to be equally effective with two doses, given several weeks apart, though AstraZenca’s vaccine had a 70% effectiveness after one dose, making it more effective than many flu vaccines. In all three cases, two doses of the vaccine conferred over 90% effectiveness.
There are a 12 vaccines in stage 3 trials and approximately 50 additional ones in various stages of development. Oh and there is the Sputnik V vaccine developed by Russia with massive distribution starting in the next few weeks. Criticized by western scientist for cutting corners, it is reported that the two doses are 91.5% effective.
If your head is spinning, and I haven’t even mentioned the vaccines being developed by China, which may offer a solution to the storage problem, the point is that we will be seeing a lot more in the world of vaccine development in the coming months.
Should I wait to get the vaccine?
It is interesting to note how the responses have been to this question over the last month. Initially, there were a lot of “we’ll wait and see what the side effects might be,” but as cases have surged, with increasing death and the emergence of “long haulers” - those individuals who continue with issues long after their initial Covid infection-more and more people are saying a definite "yes."
When asked which one of the vaccines should they consider, a number of experts are saying, whichever one comes first that you are eligible for.
How the vaccines are being distributed. Unless you are a front line health care worker, it’s unlikely you’ll be offered the vaccine right out of the gate. The following variables will impact when you might be first be offered the vaccine:
• How much vaccine is available is in your state
• Whether one, two or more vaccines are available for distribution. Note that both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two injections. These are not interchangeable so if you start with the Pfizer for shot one, it will need to be the Pfizer drug for shot two. So when a state health official says they have 1,000 dosages of the vaccine, unless they say otherwise, that means there is only sufficient vaccine for 500 people.
• The Pfizer vaccine requires extremely cold temperatures for storage-minus 70 degrees. Not every facility can accommodate that level of freezing. Moderna’s vaccine also requires being frozen, but at temps more like a regular freezer. When these vaccines are thawed, they need to be used within a short time frame. These storage factors can have an impact on distribution.
• Your state’s
health department will prioritize vaccine distribution. Check their website to learn more about what is happening in your state.
See wait will be by trying NY Times Find Your Place in the Vaccine Line. For many of us we’ll be waiting a while and so will know more about side effects etc.
If you have the option of being vaccinated sooner than later
• Is it safe? As one member of the FDA advisory board noted, "For people who are worried about safety, we are essentially, by necessity, testing the water with one foot," Dr. Paul Offit said. "We'll have tens of millions of people who will be getting this vaccine before the general population gets it, so you'll have a much bigger safety profile than you have when it initially rolls out." Average folks can take comfort from the safety data that's already been gathered in clinical trials, and additional data expected to pour in from millions more people participating in the earliest waves of COVID-19.
"We really see vaccine side effects in the first week after vaccine, and sometimes in the first month to two months of the vaccine," said Dr. Buddy Creech, director of the Vanderbilt Vaccine Research Program, in Nashville, Tenn. "We've been very reassured that we haven't seen a number of cases of things that we would not expect."
Offit added, "What you're going to be able to say now, when these vaccines roll out, is you're going to be able to say that, at least in tens of thousands of people, there were no uncommon serious side effects that were seen within two months of getting a dose."
The CDC, on Dec. 3, 2020 updated their 8 Things to Know About Vaccine Planning, which stresses that the supply will be limited initially, there will be priority groups and costs will not be an obstacle as there should be no charge for the vaccine itself, but there could be a charge for administering the shot.
• Can I get Covid from the Vaccine: No. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use only a gene from the virus while other vaccines being studied use inactivated virus. None of these can cause COVID-19.
• Side effects? Scientists anticipate that the shots may cause mild flu-like side effects — including sore arms, muscle aches and fever. Some providers are recommending that you take ibuprofen or acetaminophen (if you can safely take them) before you get the vaccine. This will help to significantly alleviate the side effects. Study participants did not take pain relievers before their vaccines.
• Is this a live virus: Both Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines are mRNA vaccines, and AstraZeneca’s and Johnson & Johnson’s are non-replicating vectored vaccines. None of the early vaccines being tested are live weakened versions of the virus.
• How long will the vaccine immunity last? The jury is still out on this one and it’s why those who have been part of the Phase III trial will be followed for two years.
• If I’m vaccinated can I spread Covid to someone else? If an individual is vaccinated and they are protected from infection, they will not transmit the virus to someone else. But, it is expected that COVID-19 vaccines may protect against severe infection, but not necessarily prevent mild or asymptomatic infection. If this is the case, a vaccinated person could still spread the virus if they are infected. This is why it is expected that even after a vaccine becomes available, people will need to use masks and practice social distancing measures for some time.
• If I’ve had Covid and have antibodies, do I need to be vaccinated? The CDC has answered this question as follows: There is not enough information currently available to say if or for how long after infection someone is protected from getting COVID-19 again; this is called natural immunity. Early evidence suggests natural immunity from COVID-19 may not last very long, but more studies are needed to better understand this. Until we have a vaccine available and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices makes recommendations to CDC on how to best use COVID-19 vaccines, CDC cannot comment on whether people who had COVID-19 should get a COVID-19 vaccine.
• Is there a decision tree to help me?: Currently there isn’t a decision tree model to help you decide whether to be vaccinated if it’s being offered to you at this time. The best advice is to talk to your medical provider, who can help you decide what’s the right choice for you.
In the mean time, whether you are vaccinated or not, please mask on faces, avoid crowded places, and six foot spaces.
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