COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs
There are some team members who are hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine. They may not have enough facts or have received incorrect information. As always, our goal is to provide you with the facts and clear up misconceptions that you may have read on social media, heard from friends or other sources. Thank you to our Medical Director, Dr. Amir Hajimomenian, for his presentation and addressing the questions you and your fellow team members submitted to him during yesterday’s Town Hall. Click on the links below to listen to the answers. If you have any additional questions please email vaccine@wcbay.com
Is the vaccine safe? I heard they rushed the testing of the vaccine to get it out to the public.
Can I get COVID-19 from getting the vaccine?
I am allergic to eggs. Is the vaccine made with eggs?
I am pregnant, will the vaccine harm my baby?
I want to get pregnant, how does the vaccine affect my fertility?
I have read that the COVID-19 vaccine can hurt a baby who is breastfeeding? Is this true?
I have had COVID-19, do I still need to get the vaccine?
Will I get Covid-19 from the vaccine?
Should I worry about having an allergic reaction to the Covid-19 vaccine?
I am immunosuppressant and have allergies, should I get the vaccine?
If I still get COVID after getting the vaccine, will it help with the symptoms?
ADDITIONAL READING
Baltimore Sun: I am getting the COVID vaccine, and this is why other African Americans should as well
Michigan Health Lab: COVID-19: Get the facts and then decide
COVID Vaccine Town Hall
We are pleased that many of you received your COVID-19 vaccine earlier this week.
Second Dose
The clinic to get your second dose of the vaccine will be held on January 25th and 26th in the Anderson Bayview Room. We will follow the same schedule as the January 4th and 5th clinics. Schedule reminders will be sent out as the date approaches.
You will need to bring the COVID-19 Vaccination Record card you received at the first clinic.
Questions and Answers
Some of you have had questions regarding the vaccine. Below is the link to questions and answers on the CDC website:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/faq.html
If you have specific questions for WC email vaccine@wcbay.com
Remember:
You still need to wear a mask, social distance, and wash your hands often even after receiving your second dose.
The CDC says:
While experts learn more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide under real-life conditions, it will be important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to us to help stop this pandemic, like covering your mouth and nose with a mask, washing hands often, and staying at least 6 feet away from others. Together, COVID-19 vaccination and following CDC’s recommendations for how to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from getting and spreading COVID-19. Experts need to understand more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide before deciding to change recommendations on steps everyone should take to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. Other factors, including how many people get vaccinated and how the virus is spreading in communities, will also affect this decision.
The vaccine is effective two weeks after the second dose
The CDC says:
It typically takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity (protection against the virus that causes COVID-19) after vaccination. That means it's possible a person could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after vaccination and can still get sick.
Register for V-safe
V-safe is a smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after you receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Through v-safe, you can quickly tell CDC if you have any side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Depending on your answers, someone from CDC may call to check on you and get more information. And v-safe will remind you to get your second COVID-19 vaccine dose if you need one.
Your participation in CDC’s v–safe makes a difference — it helps keep COVID-19 vaccines safe.
For V-safe registration instructions click here: V-safe After Vaccination Health Checker | CDC
Many nursing home workers have expressed concerns about the safety of the new COVID-19 vaccines for women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. We asked Don Goldmann, MD, Chief Scientific Officer Emeritus and Senior Fellow at IHI and an epidemiologist, for his take. Watch this brief video to hear his response in full. Here are the highlights:
Evidence regarding the safety of the Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna vaccines for women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant is limited.
However, it is unlikely that these vaccines would pose safety concerns for mother or baby. That’s because:
These RNA vaccines do not contain live virus, so they cannot give COVID-19 to a recipient.
They do not interact with the DNA of mother or baby.
We know there are risks from COVID-19 during pregnancy, particularly for women working in high-risk settings like nursing homes. Evidence is growing that COVID-19 infection is more severe during pregnancy, with increased risk of hospitalization and need for mechanical ventilation.
Both the CDC and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend the vaccination be strongly considered for pregnant women and people working in healthcare settings.
Dr. Goldmann is producing a series of short educational videos on COVID-19 for healthcare providers that you can access here.
Do you have a question for Ask the Expert? Email Ben Cloutier at becloutier@salud.unm.edu.
FIRST VACCINES ARRIVE AT WC FOR ALL STAFF ON MONDAY JAN 4.
All team members must bring the following:
A copy (front and back) of insurance and prescription card (WC‘s employee insurance has one card for both)
A completed consent form.
A consent form will be emailed to you and will be available from your supervisor.
To get the COVID-19 vaccine you must return the completed consent form to your supervisor by 4:00pm on Thursday 12/31.
If you are unable to return the form but want to get the vaccine contact your supervisor immediately to be included on the list.
We will notify you with times when your vaccine will be administered.
Please send any questions to vaccine@wcbay.com.
The videos below have a few of the VERY GOOD reasons why you should take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to be first in line for this limited supply vaccine.
https://blackcoalitionagainstcovid.org/loveletter/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC9vnISihKM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXM9sPA9wpQ&authuser=0
Vaccine is free to you!