Your questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, answered

And while things are not back to normal yet, Dr. Jeffrey Martin, UCSF’s head of clinical epidemiology, told SFGATE that once people get the vaccine, transmission can and will reduce.

“Each person who receives any vaccine contributes to reducing transmission in the community,” he said. And since the transmission really slows down, “that’s when we can really feel safe,” he says.

“That day is not far off, in my opinion.”

Below are some common questions about the vaccine.

Can you sign up for vaccine waiting lists?

In short, not really.

Most of the time, health professionals will notify individuals when they are ready for the vaccine. Sometimes, last-minute vacancies for spare vaccines will be available.

Some counties, including Alameda, San Francisco and Marin, offer “interest” forms that notify individuals when it is their turn to receive the vaccination. (But it is not exactly a waiting list – you will still have to contact a healthcare professional to schedule the injection.)

Do we need to receive the COVID-19 vaccine every year?

This is not yet clear, but the chances are good. According to Yale Medicine infectious disease specialist, Onyema Ogbuagu, we will find the answer to that question in the next six months, as the researchers collect more data from the initial COVID-19 vaccine tests carried out last year.

But, according to Johns Hopkins, the fact that individuals can still contract COVID-19 even after receiving the vaccine is a potential indicator of the need for consistent replenishment.

Can you be infected after receiving the vaccine?

Yes.

“You can certainly be infected again after receiving the vaccine,” UCSF’s Martin told SFGATE.

The goal of any immunization, he explained, is to achieve “sterilizing immunity” – essentially, your body blocking all attempts to be infected by the virus – but that is not the case here.

That said, the good news is that even if you are infected, you are almost certain to contract only a mild form of the virus.

“These are degrees of magnitude,” he said. “It is much better than if a person contracted an infection if they had not been vaccinated.”

Can you still transmit the virus after receiving the vaccine?

No vaccine is 100% perfect. This means that, despite incredibly high rates of effectiveness, there is a very, very small chance that you will develop COVID-19 and be able to pass it on to another unimmunized person. (That person, then, is much more likely to contract a severe form of the virus.)

“In my view, it has not been documented that someone has been re-infected and has infected another person,” said Martin, “but I have no doubt that this will happen.”

For this reason, it is still advisable to wear a mask and social distance even after getting vaccinated, at least until we reach a level of herd immunity.

A study by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, which developed a version of the vaccine, found that the vaccine can help reduce the rate of transmission. But these results are specific to that version of the vaccine, which is not available in the United States. And it is still an imperfect result.

What is the speed of action of the vaccine?

“Very soon,” said Martin. “After about ten days,” he said, “you will begin to see some reduction in risk compared to people who have not received the vaccine.”

But it will take at least a month for the complete vaccine to reach its maximum effectiveness, assuming you receive the second dose – more on that later – within that period. A finding by Yale’s Ogbuagu suggests that the second dose may increase immunity rates by almost double.

What happens if you take only one of the two doses?

Experts repeatedly recommended not to skip the second dose.

Carlos Malvesutto, an Ohio physician, said in a report that the first dose prepares the immune system, while the second “induces a vigorous immune response and antibody production.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests taking it within three to four weeks. That said, the organization also reports that “there is no maximum interval between the first and the second dose of any of the vaccines”.

Martin emphasizes that it is not “an all-or-nothing thing”, especially at the beginning of the vaccine distribution process.

“If they missed the window for three to four weeks and enjoy it now, they won’t jump,” he said.

“I think the strong belief is that you will have a lot more protection than you would have if you didn’t have one,” he said, “[and] maybe a little less protection than if you had both. “

What if I have an allergic reaction after getting the first vaccine?

Although uncommon, there are reports of individuals who have a variety of allergic reactions to the vaccine.

In short, you should do a risk-benefit analysis with an allergist to decide if it is worth taking the second dose.

“A serious reaction must be evaluated by an allergic physician,” said Martin. “It is not an absolute fact that one should or should not [get the vaccine]; this can be a complicated medical decision. “

The good news is that you will still have “really good protection” with an injection of Moderna or Pfizer vaccines.

Is there a difference between one-shot vaccines (Johnson & Johnson) and two-shot vaccines (Moderna and Pfizer)?

In the grand scheme of things, not really.

Martin says that all vaccines approved and being launched “are in fact very close in performance” in preventing serious diseases. “The truth is that they can be indistinguishable to prevent serious illness.”

“One can prevent mild illnesses instead of others, but that’s it,” he added, “mild illnesses where you are gone for 3 to 5 days.”