Answers to Your COVID-19 Questions
By Annette Pinder

 

Dr. Kenneth V. Snyder and Dr. Raul Vazquez recently answered your COVID-19 questions in two televised programs on WBBZ-TV. Here is summary of their answers.

What is required for herd immunity? We don’t know the exact answer because we don’t know how quickly the virus is spreading. About 20 percent of the U.S. population has developed antibodies to fight the virus from having had the vaccine or the virus. Think of it this way, “If there’s a fire in dry grass everywhere, how much does it needed to be watered down, so it can’t spread?” 

Were the vaccines made too quickly? No. Technology used in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been around for 20 years. Technology used in the mRNA vaccines has been around for more than 20 years. 

Will the COVID-19 virus go away? No. Therefore, people will have to decide whether they want their bodies to fight COVID without any protection, or whether they want the vaccine to help them fight it. While most deaths occur in people who are 55 years and older, the most significant consequences are the virus’ potential long-term effects.

What are side effects of the vaccine? Side effects occur in roughly 40 to 50 percent of people. More than about 40,000 people have participated in clinical trials and over 33 million have received the vaccine without significant side effects. Redness or swelling at the vaccine site, fever, headache, chills, joint pain, and diarrhea, are possible. Side effects mean your body is building a defense against the virus. Just one out of 100,000 people (.001 percent) had an anaphylactic reaction to the Pfizer vaccine. People who have experienced an allergic reaction to any vaccine should let their doctor know so they can be premedicated. Do not take Motrin or Tylenol prior to getting the vaccine but you can take it afterwards to alleviate side effects.

Are the new variants dangerous? Scientists are watching this carefully. However, the current vaccines are 100 percent effective against the variants for hospitalization and severe illness. Vaccine efficacy may drop slightly against the variants, but not enough to make a difference in protecting us.

Will we need changes to the vaccine to accommodate the variants? COVID-19 is a coronavirus that is more stable than other RNA viruses, such as influenza which changes rapidly. Seeing a wide variety of different versions of this virus is not a new phenomenon. Our bodies learn how to combat viruses. For example, every time we get a cold, our symptoms become less severe. So, even if one strain learns how to make us sicker, our bodies learn to adapt. However, the current vaccine technology is incredible, and allows us to quickly adapt the vaccine to respond to new versions of the virus. We may very well need a booster yearly as we do with the flu. 

See all of the questions asked and answered in their entirety at www.buffalohealthyliving.com/buffalo-healthy-living-wbbz-tv.