The Covid-19 Vaccine — Facts vs. Fiction

Sandra Lindsey was the first person to receive the first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine on December 14th, 2020. Since the vaccine’s rollout, Lindsey, a critical-care nurse from New York, is now one of 11.1 million people across the United States who have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

University students receiving the covid-19 vaccine.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) holds recommendations for who should receive the vaccine first, however each state has its own plan for vaccine distribution. Covid-19 vaccine information for the state you live in can be found by contacting your local health department. The CDC recommends the vaccine roll out in phases, with healthcare personnel and long-term care facility residents receiving it first in Phase 1a.

Currently, the two vaccines that are authorized to prevent Covid-19 are from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. Both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna include mRNA that is supposed to code for the production of Covid-19 spike protein . This protein then triggers an immune response inside our bodies. The immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects us from getting infected if the real virus enters our bodies. Both vaccines have registered efficacies of 95% in preventing Covid-19.

While this is the first time mRNA vaccines are being used on such a wide scale, scientists have studied them for over three decades. The companies manufacturing the vaccine were put through rigorous clinical trials following the symptoms of tens of thousands of volunteers. Given Covid-19’s prevalence, it only took a few months for the clinical trials to collect enough data to make an initial evaluation. The FDA, as well as an independent panel of vaccine experts, closely scrutinized the data from those trials and deemed Pfizer’s and Moderna’s vaccines safe and effective for emergency use.

According to the CDC, mRNA vaccines do not contain a live virus and do not carry a risk of causing disease in a vaccinated person. mRNA vaccines also do not enter a person’s nucleus and infect a person’s DNA, two common misconceptions associated with the vaccine.

Healthcare workers not only work on the frontlines, but also work to debunk vaccine rumors that have caused an uproar of people opposed to taking it. For many, these misconceptions overshadow the vaccine’s importance in protecting others and slowing the Covid-19 spread.

“I received my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on December 29th, and just got my second dose on January 19th,” said Sarah L., a nurse working at a Los Angeles hospital. “After receiving the vaccine I experienced nausea, body aches, and pain on the injection site. I have a higher chance of getting Covid because I’m taking care of Covid patients almost every day. The vaccine is a way to not only protect myself, but my family.”

According to the CDC, the most common side effects of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines include headaches, chills, and fatigue. Concern for adverse side effects has led to some discussion revolving around topics such as efficacy and safety. A December 2020 survey done by the Kaiser Family Foundation revealed that about a quarter of people do not wish to receive the vaccine. Those skeptical of the vaccine pose challenges towards flattening the Covid-19 curve in the U.S. where there are over 25 million cases reported.

“I’ve been working with my mom who’s a dentist during quarantine so I was able to get the Moderna vaccine,” first-year UCSB student Kendall Chock-Wong said. “About a week since I got the vaccine, I started getting bad headaches, but it hit my parents a lot more. It was hard for my mom to stay awake and she also experienced getting the chills as a side effect.”

The CDC also says that “most systemic post-vaccination symptoms are mild to moderate in severity, occur within the first three days of vaccination, and resolve within one to three days of onset.” With these side effects in mind, it is still imperative to note that the vaccine is found to be 95% effective in preventing Covid-19.

“Honestly, I think with any other vaccine or medication there’s going to be potential side effects, however I don’t think they are that detrimental to the point where people should be afraid of it especially with something as deadly and dangerous as Covid.”

Dr. Fauci predicts that the vaccine should be available for anyone this coming spring, once essential workers, those with underlying health conditions, and the elderly get the vaccine between now and March. With the possibility of college students and faculty receiving the vaccine soon, it is important to continue to social distance and follow university guidelines. Properly educating yourself on the different vaccines as well as its various side effects can help prepare the public for this change in Covid-19 expectations.