COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines - Orleans Community Health

COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines

Should I get the new vaccine??…. Here’s what you should know!

Safety

  • Not made out of live pathogens
    • Non-infectious
    • You cannot catch COVID from these vaccines
  • The mRNA does not integrate into your genome
    • The mRNA in the vaccine lasts up to 24 hours in the body, it’s then broken down
  • Not made from eggs

Efficacy

  • Early trial have shown these vaccines generate a reliable immune response
  • They have also been generally well-tolerated by healthy individuals
  • Both have shown to be about 95% effective at preventing COVID-19 infection in pre-clinical data
  • We won’t know how long the vaccine immunity will last until we gather more data
  • These vaccines are expected to receive emergency use authorization (EUA) from the FDA

 

What could you expect from getting the vaccine?

  • Possible side effects: fever (39°C to 40°C or 102.2 °F to 104°C ), muscle pain, joint pain, headache, nausea, fatigue
  • These occurred more frequently when compared to the flu vaccine, the second dose has more side effects – it indicates that the vaccine is working
  • Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help, (ASK YOUR PHARMACIST)

Early vaccination population priority

  • Healthcare personnel, Workers in essential and critical industries, People at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness due to underlying medical conditions, People 65 years and older (nursing home residents)

Other patient populations

  • These vaccines are being tested on children as young as 12 but the results are not available at this time
  • Trials have excluded people who are pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Further clinical trials will be performed to determine the effects of immunosuppression on these vaccines

Vaccination schedule

  • Pfizer – 2 doses separated by 21 days
  • Moderna – 2 doses separated by 28 days

For more information visit:

Operation Warp Speed

https://www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/explaining-operation-warp-speed/index.html


None of the COVID-19 vaccines currently in development in the United States uses the live virus that causes COVID-19. You may have symptoms like a fever after you get a vaccine. This is normal and a sign that your immune system is learning how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19. Learn more about the facts behind COVID-19 vaccines: https://www.cdc.gov/…/about-vaccines/vaccine-myths.html

Your best protection from COVID-19 will be a combination of getting a COVID-19 vaccine, wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet away from others, avoiding crowds, and washing your hands often. No one tool alone is going to stop the pandemic. Learn about the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination so you’ll be ready when a vaccine is recommended: https://www.cdc.gov/…/about-vaccines/vaccine-benefits.html