Considering how rapidly this dangerous Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is spreading, COVID-19 vaccines, along with social distancing and masks, are our best shot at overcoming this pandemic. These vaccines have met stringent benchmarks to guarantee their safety and effectiveness, meaning all approved COVID vaccines are indeed safe. Research indicates that vaccination significantly reduces the risk of severe complications associated with COVID-19, thus playing a pivotal role in controlling the pandemic's spread [1]. Let's dive into why getting vaccinated is so important.
Why Is Vaccination Essential?
COVID-19 can lead to severe and potentially life-threatening complications. Since it's a new infection, our understanding is still evolving, and we don't know how it might impact individuals in the long term. Studies have shown that those who contract COVID-19 may experience a range of long-term effects, known as long COVID, which can affect multiple organ systems [4]. If you contract COVID-19, you risk spreading it to those around you, including family and friends.
By getting vaccinated with any of the authorized COVID-19 vaccines, you can gain some level of protection, similar to what natural immunity offers when you get infected but without the illness. Vaccination has been shown to elicit a robust immune response, effectively reducing the risk of symptomatic infection and severe disease [2].
While vaccines won't completely stop you from catching COVID-19, they significantly lower the chances of you becoming seriously or critically ill if you do get infected. This means a drastic reduction in severe complications and hospitalizations due to the virus. In fact, vaccination helps significantly decrease the spread within vulnerable populations, contributing to herd immunity [3].
Here Are Some Answers to Common Questions About COVID-19 Vaccines:
There are many common inquiries, and we've tried to address a few key ones here.
1) Covaxin Vs. Covishield – Which Is Better?
The ideal vaccine is the one you can access. Both Covaxin and Covishield have demonstrated satisfactory outcomes in clinical trials. They've both undergone thorough testing to ensure their safety and efficacy. The efficacy rates are about 79% for Covishield and 81% for Covaxin after the third phase trials, indicating that both are effective at preventing severe disease [5]. It's best to get vaccinated as soon as possible with whatever option is available rather than waiting for a specific brand.
2) What If the Second Dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine Is Delayed?
Health experts advise that there's no need to panic if your second dose is delayed by a few days or even weeks. If this happens, you won't need to restart the entire vaccine series. Due to vaccine shortages, adhering to scheduled intervals can be challenging, and delays are expected. However, we still lack sufficient information about how effective the vaccination will be if the second dose is postponed, and ongoing studies are examining the implications of such delays [4].
Receiving the available vaccine is crucial for breaking the transmission chain. Remember to continue following safety protocols like regular hand washing, maintaining social distance, and wearing double masks, even after vaccination.
References:
- Jianwu Li, Na Jiang, Qing-Lei Zeng, Yue Zhang, Xinyuan He, Yao Chu, Wenni Jin, Yi Liu, Wan Shi, Miao Yang, Weihan He, Qing Han, Le Ma, You Xu, Yaling Guo, Lei Zhang, Fanpu Ji. The Epidemiological, Clinical Features and Outcomes of Imported Chinese COVID-19 Patients Following Inactivated Vaccines Injection.. PubMed. 2022.
- Yufei Wu, Ping Huang, Mingjie Xu, Qianqian Zhao, Yihui Xu, Shuyi Han, Huanjie Li, Yunshan Wang. Immunogenicity and reactogenicity of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in healthy adults.. PubMed. 2023.
- Yasmin Hisham, Sun-Min Seo, Sinae Kim, Saerok Shim, Jihyeong Hwang, Eun-Seon Yoo, Na-Won Kim, Chang-Seon Song, Hyunjhung Jhun, Ho-Young Park, Youngmin Lee, Kyeong-Cheol Shin, Sun-Young Han, Je Kyung Seong, Yang-Kyu Choi, Soohyun Kim. COVID-19 spike polypeptide vaccine reduces the pathogenesis and viral infection in a mouse model of SARS-CoV-2.. PubMed. 2023.
- Bahaar K Muhar, Jeffrey Nehira, Ashim Malhotra, Simeon O Kotchoni. The Race for COVID-19 Vaccines: The Various Types and Their Strengths and Weaknesses.. PubMed. 2023.
- Naomi C Brownstein, Harika Reddy, Junmin Whiting, Monica L Kasting, Katharine J Head, Susan T Vadaparampil, Anna R Giuliano, Clement K Gwede, Cathy D Meade, Shannon M Christy. COVID-19 vaccine behaviors and intentions among a national sample of United States adults ages 18-45.. PubMed. 2022.