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COVID-19 Vaccine

by Stephanie Hunter

We understand that with COVID-19 a lot has changed.  For your safety, we continue to take matters seriously and have implemented various changes to our processes. We thank you for your patience and understanding. Please know that your health and safety is our priority at 26Health.

  • Starting in January 2021, we will begin scheduling patients to come in for lab draws on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

  • If you prefer to go to Quest, please let us know when we call.

  • Please make sure you have an appointment before arriving for Lab work. No walk-ins will be allowed.

  • We are continuing to see face to face patients for PREP on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

  • You must also have an appointment for PREP visits. No walk-ins will be allowed.

  • Medical Cannabis appointments are available in person with Dr. Pappachen on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

  • Make sure you WEAR YOUR MASK. You will not be allowed in our office without one.

  • Upon arrival, we will check your temperature and ask you some COVID-19 Related questions.

  • Social Distancing is still required at 26Health.

  • If you have tested positive for COVID-19, you must be able to provide a negative result post-exposure.

  • Telehealth visits are available to all of our patients for HRT, Sick visits, Primary care, and PREP.

COVID-19 VACCINE

We understand you may have tons of questions about the upcoming COVID-19 vaccine. We wanted to provide all of our patients with valid information. Please take this information to make the best education decision for yourself. All of our information on this Q&A comes directly from the CDC, Moderna, and Pfizer.

How effective is the COVID-19 Vaccine?

  • Pfizer data has concluded that their vaccine is 95% effective and Moderna is right behind at 94.5% efficacy. In comparison, The FLU vaccine is only 40-70% effective depending on various factors.

Why is the COVID-19 vaccine so different from any other vaccine?

  • The goal of vaccines is to help train your immune system to defend itself from pathogens and organisms. In the process, it activates immune cells such as T cells to create antibodies from the injected dead, weakened, or noninfectious bacterium.

  • The COVID-19 vaccine is an mRNA vaccine. This means the vaccine injected has specific targeted protein cells that give the body the instruction to create encoded adaptive immunity. So it is more specific and targeted towards COVID-19.

Who participated in this study for Pfizer and Moderna?

  • About 43,000 individuals volunteered for the trial study with Pfizer and 30,000 for Moderna. Over 150 clinical sites were included, 6 different countries and 39 U.S states were among those that participated.

  • Out of these participants, Pfizer stated that 5% were Asian, 10% Black, 26 % were Hispanic and 1% were Native American. Moderna’s diversity group was 63% White, 20% Hispanic, 10% white, 4% Asian, and 3% others.

  • During Pfizers and Moderna’s phase 3 trial they expanded their research to adolescents as young as 16 years of age and people with chronic, stable HIV, Hepatitis C, or Hepatitis B infection. In October 2020, Pfizer received permission from the FDA to enroll adolescents as young as 12.

When will it be available?

  • Pfizer will seek EUA around December 10th and Moderna will seek EUA around December 17th. It is estimated the end of December or the beginning of January the first small batch of vaccines will begin distribution.

  • The Uk will be the first country to start vaccination next week.

How long are we immune?

·         Truth is, we do not have that data yet. According to Pfizer and Moderna, patients that participated in the study for the vaccine have shown they still had immunity to COVID-19 months after their first injection. It is still uncertain if this will be a yearly vaccine or a once in a lifetime vaccine.

Can children get the vaccine?

  • Researchers will need to examine the dosages, interval between doses, and the number of doses that work best in children. Some teenagers as young as age 12 years old were added to the studies but we may not see children below the age of 12 being approved and for vaccines until the end of 2021 or 2022.

How many series of the Vaccine do I need?

  • After receiving the first dose, you will need a booster within 21-28 after. The vaccine is not known to be effective without both injections.

Will there be any side effects?

  • According to Pfizer and Moderna’s clinical trial studies, most patients can experience nausea, headaches, body aches, chills, and flu-like symptoms.

Do we get to chose which company we will vaccinate with?

  • The answer is no. The State of Florida and each state will acquire whichever vaccine they can safely store. COVID-19 vaccines require specific refrigerators and some states do not have the capacity to store them. More than likely, until the vaccine is fully approved we will not know what pharmacies will store the vaccine or if medical offices that have these specific fridges can obtain the vaccine.

The Vaccine amount created is limited. Who will receive this first?

Links:

https://www.modernatx.com/

https://www.pfizer.com/science/coronavirus/vaccine

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/02/uk-approves-pfizer-biontech-coronavirus-vaccine-for-use.html

http://ww11.doh.state.fl.us/comm/_partners/covid19_report_archive/vaccination-plan/vaccination_plan_latest.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html

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