Get vaccinated!

If you're hesitant to get vaccinated against COVID19, learn more about the vaccines. There are many great resources that show the vaccines are very safe and effective. Don't be mislead by the aggressive misinformation campaign that is all over social media.

I always joke that my Christmas present was my COVID19 vaccine. I was able to get it in late December as a physician. My teen daughter was next because she works at a daycare. Then my son was able to get his at his college - which boasts a >90% vaccine rate among their students! My low-risk husband was last, but we've now been fully vaccinated. Our photos of getting vaccinated or at the photo prop station after vaccination are all displayed on our fireplace mantle. It is something we celebrate!

I hope that younger children will soon be able to get vaccinated and that parents trust the vaccine process and get their kids (and selves) vaccinated.

This video answers common concerns and in addition to stock photos, it shows pictures of my work family getting vaccinated.

Full transcript below.

Resources

• Check out https://www.immunize.org/covid-19/​ for many resources!

• Risa Hoshino, MD is a board certified pediatrician in public health. She promotes accurate information on her Instagram account and maintains a list of resources. Check it out: COVID19 Vaccine Resource List

• Allergic reaction information

• How Do We Know the COVID-19 Vaccine Won’t Have Long-Term Side Effects?

Tracking COVID19 Vaccine Safety:

• v-safeGet personalized health check-ins after you receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

• Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)VAERS is the national system that collects reports of adverse events that happen after vaccination.

• Vaccine Reporting SystemsLearn how most reports about vaccine safety are being collected and tracked.

• COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Monitoring Systems for Pregnant PeopleLearn how CDC is monitoring the safety of COVID-19 vaccination in people who are pregnant.

• CBER Biologics Effectiveness and Safety (BEST) System (FDA) – A system of electronic health record, administrative, and claims-based data for active surveillance and research of the COVID-19 vaccine.

• National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN ) – data from healthcare facilities, including long-term care facilities (LTCFs), with reporting to VAERS

• Genesis – will track COVID-19 vaccinations in long-term care facilities

Transcript of video:

We need everyone who is eligible for a COVID19 vaccine to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Despite a high level of survival some people who are young & healthy die from COVID19 infection -others live with prolonged symptoms.

The more the virus spreads the more variants can develop.

Herd immunity can only safely be achieved through high vaccination rates.

Let’s go through some of the vaccine concerns and why you don’t need to worry.

Vaccines were rushed: FALSE

mRNA vaccines have been researched and developed for years.

Scientists were able to use this technology for COVID19.

Funding was quickly granted - usually this takes years!

Volunteers were quickly recruited and the high rates of infection helped identify effectiveness quickly.

But what about my DNA? IT'S SAFE

mRNA vaccines do not enter the cell nucleus, where your DNA is.

Viral vector vaccines do have DNA that enters the nucleus, but they do not have the ability to change your DNA.

Vaccines cannot change your DNA.

mRNA vaccines are too different: NO WORRIES!

The mRNA vaccines work differently than other vaccines, but the end result is the same.

Instead of your immune system reacting to the virus itself (like in other vaccines), the mRNA is a message for your body to make a spike protein, which is a part of the SARS-CoV-2 virus but won’t make you sick because it isn’t the whole virus.

Your immune system reacts to this protein by creating antibodies that will protect your body if the actual virus entered your system.

The mRNA and spike proteins do not stay in your body long.

I don’t want side effects: THINK OF THE ALTERNATIVE

Side effects are common, but typically short lived and manageable with fever & pain relievers.

They include fever, sore arm, fatigue, and body aches.

They are a result of your immune system reacting to the vaccine.

More severe side effects, such as anaphylaxis, are rare and treatable.

Side effects are a lot better than COVID-19 symptoms, which may last weeks or months.

We don’t know long term side effects: OKAY, BUT

Live virus vaccines have caused rare, severe long-term effects. This is related to an infection from a weakened form of the virus in the vaccine.

COVID19 vaccines do NOT contain live viruses and cannot cause infection.

No part of the vaccine remains in your body - it is all broken down within hours.

Only your immune memory remains.

Long term or late effects from the vaccine are not likely, but natural infections have led to many long term problems.

I don’t want a vaccine made with aborted cells: CONSIDER OPTIONS

This is an issue that has been thoroughly debated by ethicists, religious organizations and pro-life groups.

They have found that it is morally permissible to obtain the COVID-19 vaccines due to the lack of a morally perfect vaccine and the need for public health.

The cells have been cloned over decades and no new tissue has been used.

Getting vaccinated is considered an act of charity for others by religious groups.

I’m worried about fertility issues from the vaccine: NO WORRIES!

There just simply isn’t any evidence that supports these claims – it is just one of many conspiracy theories.

Many women have now had the vaccines and have successfully become pregnant.

In males, COVID19 infections have been linked to erectile dysfunction and changes in sperm quality. The vaccine could prevent these complications of infection.

I don’t want to have viral shedding after a vaccine: NO SHEDDING POSSIBLE

None of the COVID19 vaccines are live virus vaccines.

Only live virus vaccines have the potential to shed after vaccination.

What does shed is natural infections, leading to more infections.

Each time the virus spreads it is given the opportunity to mutate.

We need to vaccinate and reach herd immunity before another new mutation that is more dangerous develops.

I’m pregnant (or lactating): Great news!

Studies are showing that the vaccine is not only safe and effective for you, it also helps to protect your baby.

We've all been through a lot this past year.

To help get to an end of the pandemic, wear your mask and get vaccinated!