By Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press
Since the Latino community is one of the most affected in the U.S. by COVID-19, it is extremely important that there be no room for speculation and that the vaccine against the virus that produces it be applied, since only in this way will it be possible to control the disease and stop the deaths that are being recorded today.
This was stated by the director of the Latin Center of Excellence, Dr. Alicia Fernandez, who stressed that the vaccine against COVID-19 is very safe, reaching up to 95 percent effectiveness against the virus, and very few people have severe allergic reactions to such immunization.
"The COVID-19 vaccine does not contain Covid, it is not possible. It only contains a little bit of the instructions, and they never mix with the part of the cell that has the human instructions. You can't get genetic material in and mix with human genetic material," he said.
During a Facebook briefing held today by the Mexican Consulate in San Francisco, the professor of medicine said that the vaccines, so far available, such is the case of Pfizer and Moderna, "protect very well".
"In the case of the Pfizer vaccine, a study was conducted with 42,000 people, 21,000 of whom were given the vaccine and the rest a placebo, that is, a fake vaccine that only contained water. Among those who received the vaccine, there were eight cases of COVID-19, while those who received the placebo had 162 positive cases. That is an effectiveness of 95 percent, that is, these vaccines protect very well," he said.
Although, he explained, there are short-term adverse effects from the vaccine, these are only: pain in the arm in the first application, while for the second dose there may be headache, fatigue, and only 10 percent have fever "? in no case people had to be hospitalized and all symptoms disappeared by the third or fourth day".
In cases of severe allergic reaction reported that after 12 million people who have been vaccinated, there have been only 29 cases of such reactions, and those who were given medication.
"We know the vaccine works well for people over 65, both women and men, everyone over 16 and all races, including people with obesity, diabetes and HIV," he said.
On the other hand, he said, "the decision -- to get the vaccine -- is a very unique one, but I suggest you think of it this way: you have to weigh the fears of the side effects of the vaccine against the risks of getting COVID-19.
However, he said, "many people who get COVID-19 have no symptoms, and there have been 400,000 deaths in the U.S. from SARS-CoV-2, so I recommend that all my patients get the vaccine.
In that sense, he said that so far there is no contraindication for the vaccine against COVID-19, only for those who have had a severe allergic reaction in their first dose, it is recommended not to apply a second.
The specialist added that, despite having been vaccinated, it is necessary to follow safety measures to prevent the spread of the virus, such as the use of masks, social distancing, constant hand washing and not going to crowded places.
Because, he stressed, "until there are enough people vaccinated, the level of virus that is circulating will go down and, then, we will finally be able to take off all the masks. But if you are vaccinated, you can, let's say, get together with your family, because you are protected.
Fernandez reminded the population that vaccines are free and accessible to all, regardless of immigration status, however, vaccination protocols are highly dependent on each state and county, so it is important to stay informed of each measure taken by the location where you are living.
In some parts of the Bay Area, vaccinations are already available for those 65 and older, but they are only given to those who have health insurance or health care providers, so she called on those who do have those services to contact them to find out how they can get immunized.
For those who do not have such services, he said, it is not yet known when the vaccines will be available, as priority has been given at this time to health care workers, such as those working in long-term care, and then priority will be given depending on age and occupation, with those working in essential industries being the first to receive their doses.
For her part, the Consul General of San Francisco, Remedios Gomez, reported that the Consulate of Mexico will keep track of what is referred by the various health authorities, to communicate in a timely manner to Mexicans living in the area, on how, when and where they can go to receive their vaccination in a timely manner.
