What you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccines | Opinion
The majority of the population has to get vaccinated to develop herd immunity to protect individuals who cannot take or are unable to get the vaccine.
- Dr. Furrukh S. Malik is a cardiovascular disease specialist in Nashville.
The COVID-19 pandemic is having a devastating impact all across the globe with significant surge noted in various countries, including United States. Our daily case counts and death rates are highest in the world, and it appears that the winter season will worsen the crisis.
There are two messenger RNA vaccines (mRNA) — one recently approved for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration and one still under review but nearing authorization — for mass inoculation. Both vaccines are extremely effective with very few side effects. Several hundred volunteers in our state were part of the initial study, the results of which were reported in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.
The mRNA vaccines are a new class that seems extremely promising and prevented the symptoms of COVID-19 in over 95% of subjects in the Phase 3 human trials. This strategy seems to be a strong and effective endeavor to stop the pandemic and the best chance to restore our normal daily lives.
There is widespread misinformation about the vaccine, so let me attempt to clarify the situation.
- The COVID-19 vaccine is not a live vaccine. It was effective in preventing symptoms in over 95% of trial participants.
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- The vaccine is safe, and no trial participants have developed any serious COVID-19 infection. The side effects include fever, aches and local site discomfort, which usually represent the body’s response to the vaccination. It takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity after the vaccination, and you'll still have to practice social distancing and wear masks to avoid infection in this period.
- The current vaccines require two injections of the same vaccine three to four weeks apart.
- The vaccine will not cause you to have a positive COVID-19 test.
- You should still get the vaccine even if you've already had COVID-19. The natural immunity that one gets from the infection is variable and may not protect against reinfection. It is advisable to get the vaccine for further enhancement of immunity.
- The vaccines are mRNA vaccines. This component of the virus does not enter the nucleus of the human cell and has no effect on its DNA.
- The majority of the population has to get vaccinated to develop herd immunity to protect individuals who cannot take or are unable to get the vaccine.
This is a global disease, and for us to stop this pandemic, a significant part of the global population has to be vaccinated to confer protection on all of us. Disease pockets anywhere in the world are risks to everyone in the world.
Dr. Furrukh S. Malik is a cardiovascular disease specialist in Nashville.