Pennsylvania State Health Doctor Answers Questions About COVID-19 Vaccine | Sponsored Content

To date, everyone has seen countless images of people receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. But many still have questions.

Dr. M. Fahadhalid, Head of Hospital Medicine at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, and Dr. Mohammad Ali, Physician for Infectious Diseases at Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center, say the vaccine is not. If it contains a live COVID-19 virus, it teaches the human immune system to protect it from it.

Both vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines), which have received an emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), are messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. They are not live viruses. That is, the vaccine does not actually give COVID-19. Instead, they work by carrying a message to your cells to make spike proteins. The peplomer produced by the vaccine is the same as that found on the surface of the virus that causes COVID-19.

This harmless peplomer appears on the cell surface where the immune system sees it. Your immune system knows it doesn’t belong to it, so it begins to make antibodies to fight the virus. Once the process is complete, your body knows how to protect yourself from future COVID-19 infections. mRNA is a type of genetic code, but it never enters the center (core) of a cell. “That means it’s never converted to DNA,” said Khalid. “The mRNA itself is destroyed by the cell after it produces the peplomer.”

“Peplomer itself cannot cause infection,” Ali said.

Here, Khalid and Ali answer many common questions people have about both vaccines.

Why do I need to get the COVID-19 vaccine? Ongoing clinical trials have shown that both the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine prevent COVID-19 after two doses. It may also prevent hospitalization and death from COVID-19, which is still under investigation. “Their effectiveness is tremendous,” Ali said. “Seasonal flu vaccines are usually 40% to 60% effective, and COVID-19 vaccines are 94% to 95% effective.”

The vaccine was approved immediately. Are they safe? Remember that scientists were already developing vaccines for other coronaviruses such as SARS and MERS, but stopped when they were no longer needed. This has allowed pharmaceutical companies to take advantage of advances in vaccine research and manufacturing to create vaccines in months. However, both vaccines comply with rigorous FDA guidelines, including the usual regimen of clinical trials and Phase 1, 2, and 3 trials.

Do people have a severe allergic reaction to the vaccine? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports a limited number of cases in which people have experienced severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) or reactions such as hives, swelling, and wheezing. The CDC does not recommend the vaccine to anyone who has previously had a severe allergic reaction to any component of the COVID-19 vaccine. People who have an allergic reaction to other vaccines should consult their doctor about taking the COVID-19 vaccine. According to the CDC, people with allergies not related to the vaccine (food allergies, pet allergies, seasonal allergies) can be safely vaccinated.

Are the side effects of the vaccine worse? Do you have COVID-19?you may There is swelling or pain at the injection site. Some people complain of fever, chills, headaches, and muscle aches after the second shot. These side effects are temporary and not as serious as actually infecting COVID-19. They also mean that your immune system is working to make antibodies.

If I am already infected with COVID-19, do I need a vaccine? Okay. Currently, the CDC recommends vaccination even for people who have been infected with COVID-19 in the past. This is because you don’t know how long your immunity to the virus will last after someone gets infected.

Do I need to wear a mask after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine? Yes, you have to keep wearing a mask, practice social distance and wash your hands frequently. Vaccines prevent people from getting sick with COVID-19, but researchers still don’t know if an individual can get infected and infect others with the virus.

How about vaccinationPriority? The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) has established four phases for distribution. It can be found on the DOH website. Pennsylvania is currently in Phase 1A for the most endangered people. The latest information on COVID-19 is also available at the following URL: pennstatehealth.org/coronavirus..

What should I doDo you do it before or after the d vaccine? Currently, the CDC does not recommend taking over-the-counter medications (OTCs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and antihistamines to prevent side effects. Before Vaccination. It is not yet known if these drugs may affect the effectiveness of the vaccine.If you have pain or other side effects rear Once you have the vaccine, talk to your doctor about whether it is okay to take OTC medications.

More vaccines may be approved soon. Can I choose which one to get? All approved vaccines provide protection against COVID-19, so you need to get the first vaccine you can register. Dr. Peter Dillon, Chief Clinical Officer at Penn State Health, said:

Petition for more information on Penn State Healthvisit se https://www.pennstatehealth.org/..