COVID-19 Vaccine
With COVID-19 vaccination having begun for those groups designated for phase 1a by the CDC, we have started to receive many questions about the vaccine. While we are all very anxious to have our patients and families protected and able to return to some semblance of "normal," the truth is there will likely still be a long wait for most of our patients.
First of all, the information we have seen reagrding the vaccines currently available under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) show that these vaccines are very effective and that their benefits greatly outweight their risks.
Rather than re-invent explanations, below are links to what some experts have to say about the science behind the currently available vaccines.
This geneticist does a great job explaining what's in the vaccine, how the vaccine works, and why it is so effective.
This interview with Paul Offit (renowned vaccine expert) answers a lot of questions about the process of SARS-COV2 vaccine development.
CDC links regarding the vaccine:
We have completed the necessary registration paperwork with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (Mass DPH) to be eligible to receive vaccine for our patients when it is available. Since most of our patient population is age 15 and younger (and, therefore, not eligible to receive the vaccine under the current EUA and not part of the current phase of the rollout), we do not have specifics regarding when we can expect to receive vaccine in our office. When we receive notice, we will begin the process of offering and scheduling vaccinations as soon as possible. The vaccine is not something we want to keep in our office for long. We will want to give it out almost as soon as we receive the shipment!
If we hear of other options for our patients to be vaccinated, we will pass that on as well. Some of our older patients work in jobs included in phase 1b (education, food and agriculture, etc.) and they may be eligible to receive the vaccine at another location. We encourage our patients to get vaccinated at their first opportunity and not wait to receive it at our office.
We expect our patient population will span several of the planned rollout phases. This will create a layer of complexity and likely cause scenarios where ceratin family members will be vaccinated prior to others due to circumstances of age and pre-existing conditions. Please trust that we will do our best to make the process as fair as possible under the constraints that the Massachusetts DPH will require of us.
Studies involving individuals under age 16 are underway and it won't be until those are completed and shown to be effective and safe that the FDA will clear the path for younger individuals to receive the vaccine. This may not be until late 2021 at the earliest. We will keep up to date as data is published and start the process of protecting our younger patients as soon as we can.
Most of the work on vaccines is still a work in progress. There are many more candidates still in the study phase so more information will be forthcoming. We will keep you up to date about everything COVID-19 and SARS-CoV2 vaccine as our understanding of the status quo improves.
First of all, the information we have seen reagrding the vaccines currently available under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) show that these vaccines are very effective and that their benefits greatly outweight their risks.
Rather than re-invent explanations, below are links to what some experts have to say about the science behind the currently available vaccines.
This geneticist does a great job explaining what's in the vaccine, how the vaccine works, and why it is so effective.
This interview with Paul Offit (renowned vaccine expert) answers a lot of questions about the process of SARS-COV2 vaccine development.
CDC links regarding the vaccine:
- COVID vaccine FAQ
- CDC on mRNA vaccines
- CDC - vaccine is safe for people with allergic reaction history, with some sensible precautions
We have completed the necessary registration paperwork with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (Mass DPH) to be eligible to receive vaccine for our patients when it is available. Since most of our patient population is age 15 and younger (and, therefore, not eligible to receive the vaccine under the current EUA and not part of the current phase of the rollout), we do not have specifics regarding when we can expect to receive vaccine in our office. When we receive notice, we will begin the process of offering and scheduling vaccinations as soon as possible. The vaccine is not something we want to keep in our office for long. We will want to give it out almost as soon as we receive the shipment!
If we hear of other options for our patients to be vaccinated, we will pass that on as well. Some of our older patients work in jobs included in phase 1b (education, food and agriculture, etc.) and they may be eligible to receive the vaccine at another location. We encourage our patients to get vaccinated at their first opportunity and not wait to receive it at our office.
We expect our patient population will span several of the planned rollout phases. This will create a layer of complexity and likely cause scenarios where ceratin family members will be vaccinated prior to others due to circumstances of age and pre-existing conditions. Please trust that we will do our best to make the process as fair as possible under the constraints that the Massachusetts DPH will require of us.
Studies involving individuals under age 16 are underway and it won't be until those are completed and shown to be effective and safe that the FDA will clear the path for younger individuals to receive the vaccine. This may not be until late 2021 at the earliest. We will keep up to date as data is published and start the process of protecting our younger patients as soon as we can.
Most of the work on vaccines is still a work in progress. There are many more candidates still in the study phase so more information will be forthcoming. We will keep you up to date about everything COVID-19 and SARS-CoV2 vaccine as our understanding of the status quo improves.
