Q & A: What we know about the COVID-19 vaccine | COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection) (# If there is no character limit, add parentheses when it first appears

However, vaccines do not mean that pandemic precautions such as wearing masks and social distance are no longer necessary.

As false information about COVID-19 rages and deaths continue to increase Christelle IlboudoMU Healthcare pediatric infectious disease doctors explain how vaccines work and how the general public lives when vaccinated. (((The following has been edited for clarity and brevity.)

Q: Q: What is the current vaccine timeline?

A: The information we currently have is that we will go through the FDA approval process to review the safety and review the data in mid-December. And then it will be reviewed by another entity that recommends to the CDC about the vaccine, and whether they recommend it to the general public. Hopefully, after that meeting, you’ll get a little clearer guidance on who to prioritize. There is currently some guidance, but it may be better guidance on who should be prioritized. And then, the first time it becomes available with the idea that those priority groups will get it first. And we hope that by next spring, these vaccines will be more widely available to most people in the general population — or consensus.

Q: Q: What will life look like when the vaccine becomes publicly available?

A: Currently, we recommend these public health measures. I think there is more and more data coming out about immunity. So the big question is, did I have it, did I get sick, or if I was vaccinated, how long can I really prevent myself from getting sick if I was exposed again? about it. And I think their first data was up to 90 days. Because that’s the distance they tracked those people. However, there seems to be more and more data that most people have immunity for more than 6 months. And if it’s like the other coronaviruses we’ve seen, people estimate it to be a year or two.

But it’s still a new virus, so we’re still learning about it every day. But I think part of that decision on public health measures really depends on how long people sustain immunity. They are aware of the idea that they will continue to track those patients or those who are initially part of the vaccine trial. By next spring, we will actually measure how immunized they are to understand how long these measurements need to be continued, even after people have been vaccinated.

Q: Q: Do people infected with COVID-19 still need to be vaccinated or are they immune?

A: That’s a great question. By mid-December, what we want is to really understand that some people who have been sick and vaccinated, or who have been vaccinated, have been infected with COVID-19. ?? If so, was it tough? I think there is information. In some vaccine trials, they followed people with COVID-19. I don’t have that information yet, and I think it’s December 10th or 11th that all of those questions or all of that information will be open to the public to understand that particular question. What the vaccine did and did not do for them.

Q: Q: Can someone return to pre-pandemic life once vaccinated, or do vaccinated people need to wear masks and social distance?

A: What we know about the first two vaccines we often hear about the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines is that they require two doses. It also looks like the latest British AstraZeneca vaccine, but it also seems to require booster immunity. I don’t know exactly how far they are. Therefore, you should at least complete the complete series of vaccines you are getting before you think you are fully protected. So an example I can give is the flu vaccine. What we tell people is that you need two weeks and your body needs two good weeks to develop that immunity and build that immunity after you get it. That is.

Therefore, the same message will be displayed for this coronavirus vaccine, but it does not mean that “you can do it from the moment you inoculate the vaccine, so you do not need to do anything else”. Wear a mask at a distance and do it all. Even if we get vaccinated not only by ourselves but also by people in the area and get infected with the virus, we all say that it is safe because we know that everyone around us is vaccinated. I will. Not only are I safe, but the people around me are safe even if one of us is exposed to the virus.

Q: Q: Is it possible to carry and spread the virus even after vaccination?

A: I have no idea that any vaccine will never expose me to the virus. My body remembers that antibody, so it is believed that my body is ready to fight it. However, for some people, even if they are exposed to the virus, they can get infected but not get sick. And as you can see, many people have asymptomatic illnesses. In other words, it is asymptomatic, but it can still shed the virus through your nose and mouth and infect people around you.

Therefore, it is believed that even if protected from a serious illness, it can infect others around you. So masks, hand washing, and social distance are important until we get more information. Until there is more data on how well I am protected and how much other people around me are protected from vaccination.

Q: Q: When do you think you will return to “normal life” or do you think you will always implement some of these public health guidelines?

A: I think everyone should wash their hands no matter what. If we learn something, I think we should be careful and stay home when we are sick so that we don’t make people around us sick. I think our public measures are still well implemented until spring, as we have to vaccinate enough people to get herd immunity. A sufficient number of people need to be vaccinated and the number is not yet known, but a sufficient number of people need to be vaccinated first. We have protected 70% or 90% of the population, but now we can start relaxing with some of those measures. So my prediction is that I’ll keep doing these well until spring until enough people are vaccinated, and there’s more data on how long the immune system’s response lasts to the vaccine. ..

Q: Q: What else can be done to limit exposure to COVID-19 after vaccination?

A: Go back to what I said during the flu season. Yes, you are vaccinated, but remember, you can still get the flu. Therefore, avoiding the crowd is still necessary. It is still necessary for us to stay home when we are ill. And beware of the most vulnerable people around us. That way, our elderly people, people with chronic illnesses, just need to pay attention to their surroundings and wash their hands thoroughly, which will be of great help with or without the vaccine. These are still good measures, good habits, and go well beyond vaccines.