Almost a year after the general vaccination against COVID-19 began, there are still a large number of people eligible for the inoculation who have not come to receive their doses due to a large number of doubts, so Dr. Erica Pan, California State Epidemiologist and Deputy Director of the Center for Infectious Diseases, answered questions about the vaccine that has saved millions of lives around the world.
Dr. Pan's answer to all these doubts that still persist among those who hesitate to get vaccinated, comes amid a growing number of positive cases of SARS-CoV-2 virus due to the omicron variant, which has a high transmissibility.
"Positive cases, rates and hospitalization numbers continue to rise and are actually the highest levels we've seen so far," Dr. Pan said at a media conference held by Ethnic Media Services.
He also pointed out that the risks of hospitalization and death remain high for unvaccinated people, "so the most important thing we must continue to do is to get vaccinated and receive boosters".
How did the COVID-19 vaccines work?
Like all vaccines, vaccines teach the immune system to fight infection. Scientists have made COVID-19 vaccines using part of the genetic code of the virus, either messenger RNA (mRNA) or DNA, depending on the type of vaccine.
Once inside the cell, this part of the genetic code gives instructions to make a small, harmless part of the COVID-19 virus called the spike protein. Our body notices this protein and the immune system produces antibodies to destroy it.
This process teaches your body how to recognize and fight the virus. If you are exposed to the virus in the future, even the currently circulating variants of the virus, your immune system will quickly recognize it and have the antibodies and T-cells ready to fight the infection.
How effective are the vaccines against the new variants we are seeing?
The risks of hospitalization and death remain high for people who are not vaccinated, so the most important thing we must continue to do is to get vaccinated and receive boosters. The three available COVID-19 vaccines remain highly effective in preventing serious illness, hospitalization and death.
What are the benefits of receiving the vaccine, even if you can get COVID-19?
Getting vaccinated and boosted helps, keeps you out of the hospital by decreasing the severity of positive cases.
Vaccines keep Californians off respirators and save lives. We must protect against the worst impacts of this virus and prevent the spread to those who are at high risk and cannot be vaccinated.
Even if you've already been infected, you can still benefit from the vaccine and that will help you fight off other variants. And it's kind of a double immunity in a way.
If someone already has COVID-19, do they still need to be vaccinated?
People who have had covid-19 benefit from vaccination and should be vaccinated soon.
Studies show that people who have had the virus and then receive two doses of the vaccine have high levels of protection against the Omicron and Delta variant, especially against severe symptoms such as hospitalization and death.
It is very important, even if you have been infected, to go ahead and get vaccinated, as it will improve your immunity. Therefore, vaccination is the surest way to protect against COVID-19 and reduce the impact on yourself, your family and our communities.
Hygiene measures must be followed
So even with a booster dose, we still have to follow the instructions we call harm reduction precautions? Yes: these are still prudent to keep Californians safe.
Vaccines are safe, but they are not 100 percent effective and some groups are still not eligible, such as children under five. So taking these harm reduction precautions, such as wearing a well-fitting mask, helps protect them from getting COVID-19 and becoming seriously ill.
Are the vaccines safe for such young children to receive, and are there any side effects?
Comprehensive clinical trials in more than 4500 children aged 5 to 11 years demonstrate that COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective in this age group, resulting in a strong antibody response in children who received it. COVID-19 vaccine was found to be safe for children aged 5 to 11 years, with only mild side effects such as fatigue, fever and headache.
The nation's immunization experts review all reports of possible serious side effects following disease vaccination. Serious side effects are rare and the benefits of vaccination far outweigh any risks.
Rare cases of inflammation of the heart muscle known as myocarditis and pericarditis have been reported, sometimes within a week after receiving the second dose of mRNA vaccine. Cases have generally occurred in young adults, men, and people with certain medical conditions or recent medical procedures. In contrast, COVID-19 disease can cause more severe myocarditis than the cases rarely seen after immunization.
These are rare and short-term occurrences. The risk is low and those affected usually recover quickly. Some people have required treatment, while others have not. Most cases are mild.
It is COVID-19 that could cause serious and long-term effects, which makes vaccination vitally important.
The science and data, now including younger children, continue to speak loud and clear: these safe, free vaccines will help children avoid the worst outcomes of this highly contagious virus.
Are a greater number of variants anticipated?
Unfortunately, as long as we have a large proportion of people who are not vaccinated we are going to continue to see variants. I don't want to see the rest of the Greek alphabet, but we are absolutely thinking about preparing for it. I think clearly this virus is difficult to predict.
There is a lot of speculation about new variants, and I think it is very difficult to know. The most important thing that people should know is that we know all the tools that really help, regardless of the variant, all the prevention efforts, and harm reduction efforts, such as proper use of masks, good ventilation, testing, and getting vaccinated.
Are vaccines and boosters safe for pregnant or breastfeeding women?
Pregnant women are at increased risk of serious consequences of COVID-19 infection and so are their fetuses. Increasing evidence shows how safe these vaccines are during pregnancy. Thus, the benefits of the vaccine far outweigh the potential risks with regard to COVID-19.
If I were pregnant, I would definitely get the vaccine and it is definitely safe for women who are breastfeeding as well.
Finally, Dr. Pan reminded, "Getting a booster vaccine is the best way to keep your immunity strong and protect you and your loved ones from being hospitalized or dying from COVID-19, including the recent Omicron variant that is becoming more widespread. Californians should get out and get vaccinated.
You may be interested in: Can COVID-19 disease become endemic?
