CLEVELAND — On Thursday, we saw another sign of hope and a few more rays of light at the end of this COVID-19 pandemic tunnel.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced that the state will be getting 40% more of the Pfizer vaccine in the next couple of weeks. By the end of March, vaccine shipments should double from where we are right now.
With all that in mind, let's get to your COVID-19 vaccine questions:
Question: We're hearing the Moderna vaccine is getting some upgrades to deal with the new variants, but what does that mean for people who've already gotten vaccinated?
The upgrades will be designed to better protect against the more contagious variants now circulating and could potentially be used as a booster shot. But as this virus continues to mutate, even the upgrades could wane and they'll be making newer ones. So you are protected against most variants out there, but it's the south african variant that diminishes efficacy with the moderna vaccine. So if that mutation continues to become more dominant, then yes, you might eventually need a booster, but likely we're all going to need new vaccines in a couple years anyway. So take what you can get now for at least some protection.
Question: I've heard that the COVID vaccine hurts, can I take over-the-counter meds to keep pain and swelling down?
I've received this question quite a bit. CDC guidelines say you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen or acetaminophen after you get the vaccine. But health experts are advising that you shouldn't take anything before you get the vaccine. They say it's because the anti-inflammatory drugs could blunt your immune response to the vaccine and that could make it less effective. However, if your doctor prescribes one of those medicines for you, talk to them about what you should do before you get the vaccine.
Question: Is it safe for pregnant women to get the vaccine?
This is a tough one and a discussion women need to have with their doctors. Safety data is limited, but Dr. Anthony Fauci said Monday about ten thousand pregnant women have been vaccinated in the U.S. and there haven't been any red flags. The FDA is following these women, so they are collecting data, but the vaccine program really just got started. The CDC and the American College of Obsetricians and Gynecologists say the vaccine should be offered but the decision to get it is up to the mother. But late last week, the World Health Organization updated its recommendations, saying only pregnant women who are high risk of exposure, such as healthcare workers, should get the vaccine. Again, talk to your doctor.
Question: Do I need to get the vaccine if I've already had Covid? Wouldn't I already have some natural immunity?
Getting COVID-19 may offer some natural protection, known as immunity, but researchers tell me these vaccines can give you ten times the protection of natural immunity. Current evidence suggests that you're unlikely to be re-infected in the 90 days after initial infection, but no one really knows how long protection lasts. Some research indicates the less severe illness, the shorter the immune time. So even if you've had Covid, you're still going to need a vaccine eventually, because the virus keeps mutating. There are now some four thousand variants floating around the planet. And please, this virus is unpredictable and has the ability to make even healthy people very, very sick, so don't think it's a good idea to just throw caution to the wind and get yourself infected. That's literally like playing Russian Roulette.
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