We know many questions are surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Mark Paulson, Perham Health physician, provides answers to some of the common questions we are hearing.
When will vaccines be available and who will get them?
Perham Health will receive its first shipment of the vaccine the week of December 21 and will immediately begin to vaccinate its frontline workers. Vaccine for community distribution is expected early in 2021.
The first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will be given to people working in health care settings who could get COVID-19 at work and people who live in long-term care facilities. Other groups that may get some of the early doses include some first responders, essential workers, adults with high-risk medical conditions, and older adults.
Is the vaccine safe?
Having a safe and effective vaccine is a top priority. There is no live virus in the vaccine so you cannot get COVID-19 from the vaccine. Even though the vaccine was developed quickly, the science behind creating the vaccine (messenger RNA) has been in development for over a decade. Nothing has been skipped in the science and research to determine the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine. Tens of thousands of people have participated in the clinical trials testing the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness.
How effective is the vaccine?
The vaccine provides 95% protection from contracting COVID-19 after completing the 2-shot series.
What are the side effects of the vaccine?
Side effects of the vaccine are typical of those that one would experience with any other vaccine; low-grade fever, body aches, headache, and injection site pain, redness, and swelling. Side effects are a sign that your body is doing its job accepting the vaccine and building antibodies.
I’ve already had COVID-19. Do I need to get vaccinated?
Yes. We do not know how much protection is provided from having had the virus, or how long that protection lasts. Science indicates you should still get vaccinated, because the vaccine is much more predictable in its level of protection and immunity. If you have recently had confirmed COVID-19, talk to your primary care provider about any concerns.
I’m likely to survive COVID-19. Do I need to get vaccinated?
Yes. There are three reasons you should receive the vaccine:
- We have a social responsibility to protect others.
Even though you might not be at high risk for becoming seriously ill or dying from the virus, we all have a responsibility to not spread it to others that are at high risk. The more people that are vaccinated, the fewer people there will be to spread COVID-19.
- We need to develop immunity as safely as possible.
The risk of getting the virus can lead to long-term health consequences and even death. The vaccine has not been shown to cause any of these complications. COVID-19 will continue to be in our society indefinitely. It will be one of the viral illnesses just like chickenpox, measles, influenza, etc., that we live with. At some point in our lives, we will all need to become immune to the virus. Science indicates the vaccine is a safer and much more predictable method of achieving immunity.
- The quicker we develop immunity, the sooner we can unmask and get back to normal.
It is estimated that when 75-80% of the population is vaccinated, the country will develop immunity. It is possible to have this accomplished by springtime if we all do our part and get vaccinated. The sooner we get vaccinated to protect our family, friends, and neighbors from COVID-19, the sooner our kids can go back to school, restaurants, bars, and businesses can reopen, and we can gather together once again.
We are all in this together and we need your help.
We know there is an overwhelming amount of information being published regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. Please remember to get your information from reliable sources. Take some time to learn about the facts and talk with your primary care provider if needed, so that you can make an informed decision that will be best for you and your family.
Until we reach immunity of our population through the vaccine, we must continue to do our part to stop the spread and save lives. We strongly urge you to wear a face mask, maintain a 6’ distance from others, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer frequently, and stay home if you feel ill.
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Mark Paulson, MD
Perham Health, Family Medicine
when can I sign up for a covid-19 vaccination? I am 73.
Hi Anthony. Perham Health is scheduling appointments as guided by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), and will continue as vaccine supply becomes available. Perham Health is currently vaccinating persons age 65 plus as vaccine supply allows. Please call the clinic for more information on scheduling: 218-347-1200.
when will hear when seniors (70year old) will be getting the vacinne?
Ken Miller
Hi, Ken. Although planning for vaccine distribution is still in the works, here’s what we know. Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and local public health are in the process of developing a fair and strategic plan for rolling out the vaccine as quickly and efficiently as possible. At Perham Health, we have started vaccinations for Phase 1a (healthcare workers and long-term care residents). MDH will determine when and where people in the remaining phases can get vaccinated. It is our goal to communicate regularly and with transparency. We will provide an update on the next phase of vaccinations when we have more information. Please feel free to send any additional questions to info@perhamhealth.org.
My husband and I moved here in June. I have been diagnosed with MS and my husband had a lung collapse. We are 71 and 72. When can we expect to get the shot?
Hi Connie, welcome to Perham and thank you for reading our blog. Vaccine for community distribution is expected early in 2021. The first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are being given to people working in healthcare settings who could get COVID-19 at work and people who live in long-term care facilities. Other groups that may get some of the early doses include some first responders, essential workers, adults with high-risk medical conditions, and older adults. We will continue to provide regular updates on the vaccine as more information becomes available.
Thank you for being a community source of information. I am looking forward to getting my vaccine.
That is great to hear!
Thank you for this article. My family has had a difference of opinion on wither to take the shots or not. I made a statement that if Dr. Paulson approves of the shots then I would to.
We are glad to hear that this information was helpful to you. We will continue to provide more information on the vaccine moving forward.
Thanks for answering the questions many of your patients have been pondering. We will watch for further notification for Seniors.
Thank you, Adele. We will continue to provide updates in the near future.
Great summary and lets all plan to get vaccinated.
Thank you Dr Paulson for some great information and for all that you do for Perham and the surrounding areas.
Hi my husband got done his radiation from Oct to Nov he has prostate cancer and he is legally blind and cant hear also no wonder if we can get a covid 19 vaccine both of coz I’m driving his age 77 and I’m 67 yrs old we ASAP pls thanks really appreciate it
Hi Agnes! Although planning for vaccine distribution is still in the works, here’s what we know. Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and local public health are in the process of developing a fair and strategic plan for rolling out the vaccine as quickly and efficiently as possible. MDH will determine when and where certain people can get vaccinated. In response to the recent announcement from the Minnesota Department of Health that persons age 65 plus are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, Perham Health is preparing to offer the vaccine to that age group as soon as supply allows. We will notify patients through My Chart when they can make an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Patients without My Chart will be notified by mail.