Covid Vaccine - What We Know
Today's date is December 6, 2020. This is important because with Covid-19 vaccine, information is changing rapidly and what we know today will change as the weeks go on. Right now there are two vaccines awaiting approval by the FDA in the USA. One from Pfizer and one from Moderna.
Both require 2 doses between 3-4 weeks apart.
Pfizer vaccine is stored at -70 degree Celsius. Moderna is stored at -20 C.
Both doses must be received by the same provider
Allocation and prioritization will be done at a Federal, State and County level.
The CDC advisory committee recommends the vaccine to be prioritized to health care providers and nursing home residents. This will take up to 48 million doses and more than 3 months to administer.
CVS and Walgreens will provide the vaccine for nursing home residents.
There will be a paper vaccine card as proof of vaccination.
The UK has approved the Pfizer vaccine.
Physician offices will not have the vaccine until phase 2 or phase 3.
How long will protection last? We don't know.
Will we need a booster? Maybe. We don't know but Covid does not seem to be mutating like influenza does, needing a new vaccine every year.
Does it prevent asymptomatic infection? We don't know because the studies have been in people who had symptoms of Covid. Current studies will answer this.
Can it alter my DNA? No. It is a mRNA and does not enter the cell nucleus and cannot affect DNA.
If you have had Covid, should you get a vaccine? Yes.
Will we be doing antibody tests to see if someone has had Covid? No.
Stay tuned. This subject is changing rapidly but you can rely on these facts.
