Talk about shots: #2

After encountering tech issues. all. last. week, I'm finally able to share all those tons of resources I was mentioning in my IG and FB videos>>>

At around 45 min, it was much longer than anticipated, and while dense, I think encapsulated a lot of the hot button questions I've been receiving around the vaccine, primarily:
Does the vaccine work?
What are the side effects?
Who shouldn't get the vaccine?
That other doctor over there (on the internet) is telling me not to get it. Why do you two disagree?
And finally, if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding, should I still get vaccinated?

***disclaimer***
If you need yet another reminder, I am not an immunologist, epidemiologist, virologist, infectious disease specialist, or anyone doing research in any of these fields.

I'm simply a Naturopathic Physician who is doing their due diligence to learn, then pass along, all the good resources, research articles, and related information I can to my patients and audience.

And as a reminder, Dr. Zwickey's interview>>> is a great primer on what the vaccines actually contain and do.

Do they actually work?

Here in the US we have two manufacturers of the vaccine available, Moderna and Pfizer.

This information is taken directly from their Phase 3 trials, both following tens of thousands of research participants, both those who received the vaccine and also those who received a placebo.

First looking at Moderna>>>," Of 196 COVID-19 cases in the study, 185 were in the placebo group, making the vaccine 94.1 percent effective. The vaccine completely prevented severe disease. All 30 severe cases and one death among study participants were people who had gotten the placebo."

And here's the info on Pfizer>>>, "The trial has so far enrolled more than 43,000 people. Of those participants, 38,955 have completed the vaccine regimen, which consists of two injections spaced three weeks apart. At the time of the analysis — which looked at data seven days after participants received a second dose — a total of 94 people in the trial had confirmed coronavirus cases."

So yes, for both vaccines, those who received the vaccine were far, far less likely to catch Covid-19 than those who received the placebo (fake).

Concerns about their side effects and ingredients?

In the previous vaccine info article, I posted the Moderna fact sheet. Here is the Pfizer one>>>
They are nearly identical in terms of common side effects (pain at the injection site, fever, chills, generalized aches and pains, headache) and also ingredients.

Serious allergic reaction to these is rare, "during December 14–23, 2020, monitoring by the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System detected 21 cases of anaphylaxis after administration of a reported 1,893,360 first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (11.1 cases per million doses); 71% of these occurred within 15 minutes of vaccination."
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7002e1.htm

Compared to other vaccines, these two have relatively less ingredients, stabilizers/ preservatives and contain no heavy metals - which makes them "cleaner" than many others commonly used.

The only absolute reason why someone should not get the vaccine, as posted on their fact sheets are:

"WHO SHOULD NOT GET THE PFIZER-BIONTECH COVID-19 VACCINE?
You should not get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine if you:
• had a severe allergic reaction after a previous dose of this vaccine
• had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient of this vaccine."

"WHO SHOULD NOT GET THE MODERNA COVID-19 VACCINE?
You should not get the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine if you:
• had a severe allergic reaction after a previous dose of this vaccine
• had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient of this vaccine"

Even having had an adverse reaction does not preclude you from being able to obtain the vaccine. If you choose to receive either of these vaccines, and have had an allergic reaction to a past vaccine (or an anaphylactic reaction at all) you will likely be observed for a longer time post-injection.

Should those who are pregnant or breastfeeding vaccinate?

I am not a prenatal expert, so if this is relevant to you, please discuss this with your expert.

However, I can share with you that people who are pregnant and breastfeeding are making individualized choices for what is right for them, and thus some are being vaccinated right now.

Experts are currently recommending that each person determine if it is right for them, depending on work exposure and risk.

Here are a few helpful resources:

https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2020/12/21/healthcare-workers-who-breastfeed-should-be-offered-the-covid-19-vaccine/

From https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/immunisation/vaccines/coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine/pregnancy-breastfeeding-and-the-coronavirus-vaccine

"Vaccination in pregnancy could be considered where either:

• your risk of exposure to coronavirus is high and cannot be avoided
• you have underlying conditions that place you at very high risk of serious complications of coronavirus

"
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/wondering-about-covid-19-vaccines-if-youre-pregnant-or-breastfeeding-2021010721722

Who's up next to get shots?

Here in the US, states are taking input from the federal government, and releasing access in tiers according to workplace exposure and health status.

On January 25th Oregon entered a modified 1B phase. Our governor recently released that educators and child care workers would become eligible that date, then seniors would become eligible February 8th. I expect to see more shifts and changes as the landscape of vaccine availability is constantly changing.

Here's a refresher on who's in what phase:
From https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations.html
Phase 1b

• Frontline essential workers such as fire fighters, police officers, corrections officers, food and agricultural workers, United States Postal Service workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transit workers, and those who work in the educational sector (teachers, support staff, and daycare workers.)
• People aged 75 years and older because they are at high risk of hospitalization, illness, and death from COVID-19. People aged 75 years and older who are also residents of long-term care facilities should be offered vaccination in Phase 1a.

Phase 1c

• People aged 65—74 years because they are at high risk of hospitalization, illness, and death from COVID-19. People aged 65—74 years who are also residents of long-term care facilities should be offered vaccination in Phase 1a.
• People aged 16—64 years with underlying medical conditions which increase the risk of serious, life-threatening complications from COVID-19.
• Other essential workers, such as people who work in transportation and logistics, food service, housing construction and finance, information technology, communications, energy, law, media, public safety, and public health.

That about answers all the questions I've been receiving for now, with what I hope are helpful resources for you to learn more.

To your best health,
Dr. Angela