This is a weekly Q and A column written by Dr. Lydia S. Segal, M.D. in conjunction with Chaffee County Public Health. This column is focused on questions readers have about COVID-19 news and science. As Segal points out, ‘Everything I write today is valid for today. COVID-19 news and science are rapidly evolving, assume updates will be made”
QUESTION: Do I really need my second shot? Aren’t I already sufficiently protected with just one shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine?
ANSWER: Simply put, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses to provide full immunity. Full stop, you need both doses. About 10 percent of people who got their first shot of either Pfizer or Moderna did not get their second shot. (The J & J is a single-shot vaccine.)
There are various reasons people give for missing the second shot including feeling like they are adequately protected with just the first shot. Many say they simply forgot to get the second shot. But getting just one shot gives you only about 50 percent protection from the original strain of COVID-19 virus, whereas getting both shots gives you 95 percent protection. And getting just one shot of Pfizer or Moderna gives you only 33 percent coverage against the Delta variant, aka India variant which is twice as transmissible and significantly more severe and deadly than the original viral strain.
QUESTION: I had COVID a few months ago. Why do I need to be vaccinated? Isn’t ‘native’ (meaning I had the disease already and my immune system is protecting me) immunity better than vaccinations?
ANSWER: This is exactly the situation presented to me by a relative. She is 35 and healthy, as is her spouse. They had COVID this past winter. It was a mild case for both of them; neither was hospitalized. And neither has any pre-existing conditions so one assumes their immune system is strong and they produced antibodies and T cells to fight any future COVID infection.
To some degree this is true. If they are re-infected with the same strain as they were originally infected, then they should have adequate immunity to protect themselves. It turns out that native immunity does a good job protecting us only from the strain or variant that we were originally infected with.
However the increase in the Alpha variant, (U.K. variant) as well as the India variant, aka the Delta variant, is cause for concern. If they are infected with one of the variants that appear to be on the increase, they could get very sick. But the vaccines provide immunity from the several variants now circulating. In fact by looking at the CDC pages on variants, as well as the Colorado state page (see the link: https://covid19.colorado.gov/data ) you will notice that the variants are overtaking the original strain in current infections. So it is very important to get the vaccine, even if you have had COVID.
QUESTION: Once again, the question comes up,”does the vaccine produce infertility?”
ANSWER: As I answered a few weeks ago, there is absolutely no evidence that the vaccines produce infertility. In fact in the clinical trials for all the vaccines, Pfizer, Moderna and J&J, women did become pregnant either while in the trials or after.
For more information about COVID and the vaccines, eligibility and appointments, see the links below. Pharmacies are getting small shipments of vaccines. Information will be posted online here and on the county public health and hospital web pages.
http://chaffeecounty.org/Public-Health-Coronavirus
https://www.hrrmc.com/covid-19-updates/covid-19-vaccine/
Pharmacies with vaccine clinics:
Salida: Safeway, Walmart and Salida Pharmacy
Buena Vista: Mt Shavano (LaGree’s), City Market, BV Drug, and Valley-Wide Health
If you have questions you would like Dr. Segal to address in a future COVID Q and A column, please write to arkvalleyvoice@gmail.com
By Lydia S. Segal, M.D., MPH
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