UT Southwestern Medical Center COVID-19 Vaccinations Q&A

VACCINE SAFETY

• Do the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks?

Ultimately, this is the question you should ask yourself if you are unsure about whether to get vaccinated. But after evaluating the trial data and considering the documented record of vaccines in general, the answer is unequivocal: Yes, the benefits outweigh the risks.

Vaccinology is one of the safest interventions we have in patient care and disease prevention, and it has a long history of protecting the public – from smallpox to polio to measles. Yes, there are low-grade side effects, but they seem minor compared to the protections and freedom that safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines can provide.

VACCINE GENERAL

• Why do the vaccines require two shots, and what happens if you miss the second shot?

The first shot triggers the immune response, and the second one, often called a “booster,” primes the body to memorize the virus so it will recognize it immediately in the future and fight it off. Many vaccines require boosters, such as tetanus, shingles, and MMR. The COVID-19 vaccines each require a second shot (21 days apart for Pfizer; 28 for Moderna). If you skip the second shot it’s less likely you’ll develop full immunity, not to mention wasting a valuable dose of vaccine. Health care providers will try to make it as convenient as possible to set up both appointments at the same time and will provide reminders to get the second shot.

• Do the vaccines have any serious side effects?

Some trial participants experienced arm soreness, fatigue, chills, fever, or headaches that lasted a day or two, most often after the second shot. But that reaction is typically a sign that the vaccine is working – triggering the immune response (or inflammation) indicating your body recognizes this never-before-seen pathogen and is mounting a protective response against it.

The clinical trials will continue to monitor patients for side effects long after patients are vaccinated. The state of Texas will use the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a national system co-managed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and FDA, to track vaccine safety and side effects. Texas will also employ an app called v-safe, which sends vaccine recipients text messages and check-in emails to keep tabs on their health, as well as remind them when it’s time to get their second shot.

• Do the vaccines present any long-term health risks?

Phase 3 vaccine trial participants were monitored for 60 days after receiving their second shot, which is required before any safety data can be submitted to the FDA. Typically, if a patient hasn’t experienced severe side effects in 60 days, it is extremely unlikely they will. But because these vaccines are so new, significant long-term data are still being collected. According to clinical trial safety documents released by the FDA on Dec. 7, there were four cases of Bell’s palsy, a condition that temporarily weakens the facial muscles, among Pfizer clinical trial participants who received the vaccine. The rates of Bell’s palsy, however, were no different than what occurs in the general population and there is no evidence the vaccine caused the problem. Still, the FDA is likely to recommend follow-up investigation.

AFTER VACCINATION

• How long does it take for immunity to develop after getting vaccinated?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) documents said the Pfizer vaccine showed 95% immunity seven days after the second shot and the Moderna vaccine showed 94.5% immunity 14 days after the second shot.

The booster is necessary to strengthen the immune response and provide near full protection. Also, keep in mind that exposure is still possible between doses, so continue to wear a mask and follow hand-washing and physical distancing recommendations.

• How long will immunity to COVID-19 last?

There’s no definitive way to tell yet, but some studies have indicated it could last years, even decades. The research showed that patients who contracted COVID-19 early in 2020 had robust antibodies six months later. Studies of survivors of SARS, also caused by a coronavirus, showed that participants carried immune cells 17 years after being infected. So there are some reasons to be encouraged, but scientists will need to continue monitoring the length and strength of immune responses in vaccinated patients.

• Do I still need to wear a mask and social distance after getting vaccinated?

Yes. People will be getting vaccinated throughout much of 2021. Until a majority of the population has been vaccinated – some estimates say vaccinating 70% of Americans would help us reach herd immunity – wearing a mask, washing your hands, practicing physical distancing, and avoiding large, indoor gatherings will continue to be important tools to limit spread.

Compassionate patient care and advanced medical thinking go hand-in-hand at UT Southwestern Medical Center, one of the world’s top academic medical centers. We provide care in more than 80 specialties, many of which are ranked among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report.