Q and A: I am 84 years old. When can I get vaccinated?

Thousands of doses of vaccines are arriving in Maine every week, as the immunization campaign against COVID-19 accelerates. But it will be a month’s effort.

Many seniors sent e-mails to the Press Herald telling their stories, describing their specific medical concerns and asking questions about vaccines. Here are answers to some common questions about vaccination implementation and what to expect in the coming weeks and months. Do you have any other questions? Send them to [email protected].

I am an elderly citizen, when will I receive my vaccine?

The short answer is: it is not clear, but possibly in late January or February for those aged 75 and over and essential workers. Several states have decided to give older residents a higher priority than essential workers, but Maine has not taken that step and says it has not yet made a final decision.

Wait in the spring or later for the vaccine to be widely available to most population groups.

Residents and nursing home staff, frontline health professionals, paramedics and paramedics are now getting their vaccinations, under what is known as Phase 1A. It is too early to say when the state will move on to the next vaccination phase. Phase 1B will include those aged 75 and over and essential workers. The next stage, Phase 1C, will include adults aged 65-74 and those with high-risk medical conditions. Phase 2 is the general population.

Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said exactly when the state will move to Phase 1B and the subsequent phases will depend on how many doses of vaccine are sent to the state by the federal government. So far, Maine has been reduced by about 5,000 doses, but Shah said the CDC cannot give precise deadlines without knowing how fast the launch will be in the next two months.

What about minors under 16?

The Pfizer vaccine was approved for people over 16, and the Modern vaccine for people over 18. However, research for those aged 12 and over for both vaccines has started, and for younger children, it is expected to start in early 2021. People in these age groups would already be among the last to receive the vaccine, and not it is unclear how long it will take to complete research in children and have them approved for a vaccine, but it is expected to be well in 2021. However, with Pfizer and Moderna vaccines having 95 percent efficacy rates and more vaccines potentially being approved in 2021, case rates, if all goes well, will be decreasing substantially in late spring or summer, public health experts said.

I have a condition that weakens my immune system. I have allergies. Should I get the vaccine?

The US CDC says that people with immune disorders should consult their doctor, but are eligible to receive the vaccine. People with allergies can receive the vaccine, unless they are allergic to the specific ingredients used in the vaccines. Follow this link for more information.

How fast is the vaccine delivered to Maine?

By the end of 2020, the Maine CDC expects to receive about 65,000 doses of vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna. This would cover about half of the 130,000 people included in Phase 1A, which focuses on frontline health professionals and residents of long-term care facilities.

I heard that Maine did not receive its full share of COVID vaccines. Because?

This is a national issue attributable to logistical challenges at the federal level. While the federal government’s allocation of 19,125 doses for Maine’s Week 3 was reduced by only 370 doses, the Week 2 distribution contained 4,875 fewer doses than expected.

Who is being vaccinated now?

Consistent with federal recommendations, the first vaccines are being administered to staff in emergency departments of COVID hospitals and wards, first responders and residents and staff in nursing homes. As the state’s hospital systems (MaineHealth, Northern Light, etc.) move through these categories, they are expanding vaccines to other doctors and staff who have direct contact with patients.

How many Mainers have been vaccinated so far?

As of Wednesday morning, 23,527 people, just under 2 percent of Maine’s population, had received the first vaccine in the two-dose vaccination regime, with that number rising to thousands daily. The second injection, necessary for maximum immunity protection, should be given two to three weeks later.

What about family doctors, specialists, nurses and technicians who routinely care for patients but do not work in hospitals? Are they being vaccinated?

No, most are not. And this is clearly a problem for independent professionals. Health care providers who are not hired by hospital systems should be included in Phase 1A of the Maine vaccine launch, but are at a lower level than ER doctors, nurses and residents and nursing home staff.

Maine CDC officials say they expect vaccinations for Maine’s thousands of independent medical professionals to begin in mid-January, but hospital administrators say they are hoping for clearer guidance. In the meantime, hospitals are vaccinating some employees with less exposure to COVID-19 than some primary care doctors or clinicians, especially in rural areas.

Who will be vaccinated after health professionals?

Mainers 75 and older and essential frontline workers are next in line for vaccines. Based on federal recommendations, these essential workers include police, teachers, postal workers, grocery workers, public transport workers and daycare workers, as well as food, agriculture and manufacturing workers.

When is it going to happen? And how will these essential workers or residents aged 75 and over know when they can be vaccinated?

The time for the next phase of vaccination is fluid, but it appears to be late January or early February. Employers are likely to notify essential workers, while doctors or other medical service providers should contact patients who are eligible for vaccines based on their age.

I’m 65, but I have decent health. When will it be my turn to vaccinate?

Mainers aged 65 to 74 – as well as people aged 16 to 64 who have high-risk medical conditions – are currently included in the third phase of vaccination. Again, the timing of Phase 1C depends heavily on the rate of production and delivery of the vaccine to the states. But as it stands now, the inhabitants of Main in the 65 to 74 age group are likely to have to wait until late winter or early spring for vaccines.

Why is a healthy 20-year-old grocery worker eligible for a vaccine before age 70, given the risks for older Mainer inhabitants?

Maine’s vaccination plan is based on guidance from the federal Immunization Practices Advisory Committee. And public health officials recognize that they are trying to maximize the effects of the limited and early supply of vaccines. Thus, although studies clearly show that individuals aged 65 and over are hospitalized and die of COVID-19 at much higher rates, a 20-something grocery clerk or postman who may have the virus and be asymptomatic may interact with dozens of older people during their shift. However, several states have deviated from federal guidelines and have given elderly residents a higher priority than essential workers. Maine says it has not yet made a final decision on this issue.

What about the rest of the population? When can healthier adults under 65 expect to be vaccinated?

It will probably be a while – probably in the summer or even early fall – before there are enough supplies for mass inoculation. Although federal authorities have suggested that this could happen in the spring (particularly if other vaccines are released for mass production / distribution), Maine CDC director Dr. Nirav Shah said Mainers should be prepared to wait until June, July or even later by mass vaccination.

How will people know when it will be their turn?

The granular details still need to be worked out, but primary care doctors or health clinics where people receive care are likely to play an important role. Also, expect a strong public information campaign at that time and vaccination events at civic centers, fire departments, schools or other public places, in order to get as many shots as possible.

Nursing home residents are receiving vaccines now. But what about those who live in nursing homes or in group homes?

Vaccination in assisted living facilities or among residents of group homes may begin within weeks, depending on the progress of vaccination by first-line groups.

How do vaccines work?

Vaccines contain a genetic molecule, known as mRNA, that stimulates the body to stimulate the immune system to fight COVID-19. Although the vaccine does not contain a live version of the coronavirus that can cause the disease, it should allow your body’s immune system to “remember” or recognize (and fight) the virus if and when it encounters the real virus.

Will I have to pay to be vaccinated?

Perhaps. The federal government is providing all vaccines free of charge, regardless of whether individuals have private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid or no health coverage. But doctors or other healthcare professionals may charge an administrative fee to actually inject the vaccine into your arm, although federal rules also allow them to be reimbursed for that fee by insurance companies or the government.

Are there any side effects for vaccines?

As with almost any vaccine, people may experience mild side effects, such as pain or swelling at the injection site, body aches or even fever, all of which indicate that the body’s immune system is responding as expected to what it considers an invader. There have been rare cases (less than a dozen across the country in late December) of more serious reactions.

One happened to a healthcare professional who experienced a severe allergic reaction after being inoculated at Maine Medical Center. The worker quickly received a drug to neutralize the allergy and has since recovered. Dr. Nirav Shah of Maine CDC said that some evidence suggests that individuals who are allergic to shellfish, or who have other serious allergies, may be at increased risk of a reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine, but these cases remain rare. That is why individuals should be monitored on the spot for at least 30 minutes after being shot, Shah said.

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