*This information is based on what we know as of 2/5/21

written by Kerry Gustafson

Twelve of us at Prime received our second Moderna vaccine on February 2, 2021 as 1a Healthcare Workers and workers in a healthcare setting. It is imperative to me that we continue to keep ourselves as healthy as possible so we can keep our patients, clients, and our Whatcom County community as healthy and safe as possible. We have maintained a very safe facility for 11 months now. And this week we have yet another layer of protection added to our practices.

I have compiled a Q and A list for our staff at Prime to answer the great questions that have come up. Patients and staff have ask me to share what I read in the research with our broader community and pass along reliable links to information you can trust. Those who know me best, know I believe in full transparency. What we’ve found is that some questions may not come up until you are exposed, get tested, or have the opportunity to get your vaccine.

There’s a lot of information out about Covid-19 with new information coming out every single day. You may find it hard to keep up!

Here’s the latest from Chief Medical Advisor to President Biden, Dr. Anthony Fauci

“Currently, we do not have enough data to be able to say with confidence that the vaccines can prevent transmission,” “So even if vaccinated, you may still be able to spread the virus to vulnerable people.”

The Pfizer and Moderna clinical trials have shown that the drugs are highly effective at preventing symptomatic infections in people who have been inoculated.

The novel coronavirus has only been around for about a year, and the final phases of testing the vaccines only wrapped up a few weeks ago. 

Questions:

Q:  Now that I’m vaccinated, do I still need to wear my mask?

A:  Yes.  COVID can grow in the nose. You may not show symptoms, but you can have the virus in your nasal passageway so that if you're speaking, breathing, sneezing and so on, you can still transmit it to others as it stays suspended in the air up to 3 hours. 

It’s not yet clear what makes the new variants more contagious. They share at least one mutation that is thought to be involved. One possibility is that the mutation may increase the amount of virus in the nose but not in the lungs — potentially explaining why it is more contagious, but not more deadly.

A higher amount of virus in the nose means anyone infected would expel more virus while talking, singing, coughing or even breathing.

It makes the same situations that generate spread now — people living in the same household, these sorts of non-ventilated indoor contacts — to be more likely to spread.

Q:  How long does it take to achieve the full 94.1% immunity after getting the second shot?

A:  It takes 2 weeks after the second shot to achieve 94.1% immunity.

Continue to distance and wear your mask. If you’re exposed to COVID-19 during that period, you could still develop it.

Q:  Why does Pfizer say 7 days and Moderna says 14 to reach full immunity after the second shot?

A:  It’s all due to the clinical trials and when the companies measured.  Moderna measured the efficacy of its vaccine starting 14 days after the second dose, while Pfizer measured it starting seven days after the second dose.

Q:  My patient asked if it’s okay they pull their mask down from their nose when in the face cradle.  Is that okay?

A:  No.  Everyone needs to have their mask cover their mouth and nose the entire session. (Here’s a Pro Tip from Kerry: When you put your face in the face cradle, reach up through the hold in the cradle and gently “tent” the mask so it doesn’t get drawn tightly into your nose and mouth. It will still stay sealed around the face, but it won’t pull like Saran Wrap)

Q:  Can we now close windows or doors since we’re vaccinated, some clients are vaccinated and we have air purifiers?

A:  No.  We need to continue to have plenty of ventilation in the office.  We can still transmit virus to others, and they can carry it and transmit it to others, as well.  There are variants and mutations of the COVID virus making their way to Bellingham and can be spread.  Adding multiple layers of protection help us and our clients stay safe.

Q:  Am I protected against asymptomatic infection of COVID?

A:  It’s not yet known if any of these vaccines prevent asymptomatic infection.  

Q:  Now that I’m vaccinated, can I transmit the virus if I do become infected but don’t show symptoms?

A:  Unknown. You may not show symptoms, but you can have the virus in your nasal passageway so that if you're speaking, breathing, sneezing and so on, you can still transmit it to others

Q:  Am I protected against the new mutations and variants of the COVID virus (from the UK, S. Africa, S. America)?

A:  Because of the difference in the trials, making direct comparisons is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. Additionally, Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines were tested before the emergence of troubling new variants in Britain, South Africa, and Brazil. It’s not entirely clear how well they will work against these mutated viruses.

The J&J vaccine was still being tested when the variants were making the rounds. Much of the data generated in the South African arm of the J&J trial involved people who were infected with the variant first seen in South Africa, called B.1.351.

Q:  Can I get infected with coronavirus if I get the vaccine?

A:  The current coronavirus vaccines cannot infect anyone with the virus. They don't contain the virus.  They carry a small stretch of genetic material known as messenger RNA or mRNA. It instructs cells in the body to make a small piece of material that looks like a part of the virus. Those bits, in turn, get recognized by the immune system as a foreign invader, and it starts to make antibodies and immune cells that can recognize and neutralize the virus if the vaccinated person ever gets exposed.

None of the authorized and recommended COVID-19 vaccines or those currently in development in the United States contain the live virus that causes COVID-19. This means that the vaccine cannot make you sick.

Q:  How long will the vaccine last?  How long will I be immune?

A:  Just like all vaccines, protection provided by vaccines can fade over time, and some require a booster shot years later. For example, the CDC recommends adults get a tetanus booster shot every 10 years. During measles or mumps outbreaks, the CDC says some people may be recommended to get an additional dose of the MMR vaccine for added protection.

There is also the possibility that COVID-19 might mutate in a way that makes the vaccines less effective. Influenza virus strains mutate constantly and that's one reason people need fresh flu vaccines every year.

We hope the coronavirus won't mutate like the flu does. If that does happen, however, the technology used to make the new coronavirus vaccines is designed to be easily adapted. It should take far less time to update the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines than it takes to make new flu vaccines.

Do you have other questions about Covid?

Pass your questions along. Use Prime as a resource. If we don’t know the answer, we’ll do what we can to find it in the research.

Stay tuned for Kerry’s ‘go-to’ resources for you to stay up to date.