"Hi everyone! This is Dr. Stephanie Camaglia Reznick. I'm a board certified internist and one of the medical directors for Virtual Primary Care here at Oscar.
In today's video, I'd like to address some of the common questions and concerns I've heard from patients regarding the COVID-19 vaccine.
Is the vaccine safe?
The concern I probably hear the most is is it safe, especially since it was developed so quickly? The answer is yes. But let me give you some information that will hopefully further reassure you.
First, if you look back at my video on how vaccines are made (opens in new tab), you'll remember that the longest period of time in that process is the exploratory phase, where scientists try to figure out what to put in the vaccine to make it effective. Luckily, we've already been doing a lot of research on similar coronaviruses such as SARS and MERS that could be applied to COVID. This helps to make the process faster. Additionally, there have been decades of research regarding mRNA vaccines that were able to be quickly applied to the COVID-19 vaccine, in the case of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccinations.
Another thing to consider is that there was a lot of money and people dedicated to this effort. So, while I'm making up the numbers for illustrative purposes, let's say a team normally focuses on five different vaccines all at the same time. Now, the whole group is focusing on just one vaccine.
Additionally, instead of doing the typical Food and Drug Administration approval route, they did the FDA EUA or emergency use authorization (opens in new tab). Now, this doesn't mean they cut corners with safety, and they most definitely reviewed all the data. It just helped to cut through some of the red tape that normally goes on so the vaccine could be approved sooner.
Is the vaccine effective?
Another question I've heard is, is it effective? Well, they've already done trials on thousands of people, and these vaccines are thankfully very effective. Now we do have new strains coming out and that's why we're going to continue to do studies and see, but so far all the news is very encouraging.
Can the vaccine affect my fertility?
I have patients ask me, “Can the vaccine affect my fertility?” And the answer is no. I'm not quite sure where this myth came from. But if you look at my video about mRNA vaccinations (opens in new tab) and how they work, that might help to relieve some of the concerns you have about how mRNA might affect or in this case, it can't affect DNA.
Is the vaccine safe for pregnancy?
Another question is, is it safe in pregnancy? This has been a little bit of a debate as to when the World Health Organization (WHO) originally said not to get the vaccine if you're pregnant, unless you're a healthcare worker. At the same time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (opens in new tab) (CDC) and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (opens in new tab) (ACOG) — two very reputable and trustworthy organizations that basically designed the standard of care for pregnancy in America — have said that it's safe.
The WHO has since rescinded (opens in new tab) its initial statement saying it's not safe for pregnancy. So, now the WHO, CDC and ACOG all agree that is safe during pregnancy,
I can understand why you'd be worried as a pregnant mother and you'd want to protect yourself and your baby. But the problems that you can develop from catching COVID are much worse than something that could occur from the vaccine. Of course, make sure you discuss any concerns you have with your obstetrician before undergoing any type of treatment, including receiving the vaccination.
What are the side effects of the vaccine?
People also have questions regarding the side effects of the vaccine. As you might have seen on the news or heard in your personal life, some people get the vaccine with very little side effects. Other people actually come down and feel like they have the flu for a day or two.
We don't really know why some people respond more drastically than others, but the symptoms that those who do get sick have are an indication that their immune system is being turned on, that is the vaccine is working.
Does the vaccine give you COVID-19?
Another question I've heard frequently is does the vaccine give you COVID? The answer is no. The vaccine does not contain COVID.
It contains either proteins that are like or are parts of the COVID virus but not the whole virus, so therefore it can't function or infect you. Or it includes mRNA that encodes for proteins of the COVID virus. Again for more information on the mRNA vaccines and how they work, see my other video (opens in new tab).
If I receive the vaccine, do I still need to wear a mask?
Patients are also asking if they've gotten the COVID vaccination, why do they still have to wear masks? Well, there's a few different reasons and I think they're all pretty good.
First, we don't know yet if getting the vaccine prevents you from spreading the virus. We think it does, but those numbers haven't come back yet. The endpoints of the studies for the Pfizer Moderna vaccine focused on whether or not people got symptoms of the COVID infection, not whether they could spread it.
Secondly, there are all these other variants coming out and we think the vaccine will protect you from them, but we don't know 100%.
Also, there's the idea of just being a good role model for those who haven't gotten the vaccine. There's no way to know if the person you're seeing at the store not wearing a mask was vaccinated or not.
If I’ve already had COVID, why do I need the vaccine?
Some patients are asking if they've already had COVID. Why do they need the vaccine? Well, we think the immunity you get from having COVID is relatively short lived, so the vaccine is still important to protect you.
That said, keep in mind that currently the CDC recommends that you wait until at least 90 days after you've recovered from COVID before getting the vaccination."
Updated February 3, 2021
*Virtual providers like Dr. Reznick are employed by Oscar Medical Group and are not employed by Oscar Health, Inc.
This content does not constitute medical advice and is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, including diagnosis or treatment. Contact your physician with any questions you may have regarding COVID-19 or your personal health. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, dial 911 for immediate assistance.
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