Below is a link to a presentation with audio from our own medical director. In addition to all of the other, printed information, this presentation has been shared with residents and staff.
Below are some Frequently Asked Questions and links to the CDC and Pfizer websites for additional information. Let’s take New York back and ALL get vaccinated!
– Click questions below to reveal the answer.
A: To protect myself and my family, keep residents safe, and help to stop spread in the community
A: No, the vaccine does not have any live virus in it. The vaccine is an mRNA, or messenger Ribonucleuc Acid vaccine that does NOT use active virus.
A: The Pfizer vaccine includes: mRNA, lipids ((4-hydroxybutyl)azanediyl)bis(hexane-6,1-diyl)bis(2-hexyldecanoate), 2 [(polyethylene glycol)-2000]-N,N-ditetradecylacetamide, 1,2-Distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, and cholesterol), potassium chloride, monobasic potassium phosphate, sodium chloride, dibasic sodium phosphate dihydrate, and sucrose.
A: There are 2 different vaccines in discussion currently – Pfizer and Moderna which are both mRNA vaccines. In our facility we are receiving the Pfizer (BNT162b2) vaccine.
As with any vaccine, you can expect to have short-term discomfort: fatigue, headache, musclepain, chills, fever and pain at injection site after vaccination.
These reactions will last for 24-48 hours and are typically more pronounced after the second dose.
Side effects mean your body is doing its job and making antibodies (IT IS A GOOD THING)
These side effects are normal, common and expected.
A: Safety is the most important priority in vaccine approval. Most side effects occur within 6 weeks of vaccination. To be more cautious, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is requiring 8 weeks of safety monitoring of the COVID-19 vaccines. Monitoring for safety will continue as the vaccine is distributed to the public.
A: Ask to speak to your nurse on the floors or our medical Director onsite
A: The Pfizer vaccine is for anyone 16 years of age and older. The distribution of the vaccine has been prioritized for healthcare workers and long-term facility residents.
A: again, you should always consult your physician, but you should not get the vaccine if you:
A: The vaccine is given as an injection in to the muscle in the upper arm. There are 2 doses, given 3 weeks apart. If you have a Pfizer vaccine for the first does, it needs to be a Pfizer vaccine for the second dose as well.
A: There is no guarantee of 100% immunity. Safety precautions must remain in place. However, research shows that the vaccine is approximately 50% effective after the fist does and up to 95% effective after the second dose. That effectiveness occurs approximately 2 – 3 weeks after the second does. So, it is important to follow through on both doses.
A: Right now, we don’t know for how long the vaccine will help protect against COVID-19. This research continues and early indications are it will need to be a recurring vaccination similar to the flu vaccine.
A: Even if you have had a confirmed positive COVID-19 test or are confirmed to have antibodies, it is important to get vaccinated
