Your questions about COVID-19 have been answered by Dr. Alsip of University Health

SAN ANTONIO – As COVID-19 vaccines are still relatively new, it is understandable that many people still have questions about how they work, who should receive them and how much protection they offer.

Dr. Bryan Alsip, the university’s chief physician, answered some of the most frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccines. You can read his answers below and watch a video in the video player above.

How much protection does a first dose of vaccine offer?

The best protection comes from two doses out of a series of two doses, but the data available for the two vaccines that are currently authorized indicate that a single dose provides some protection from 50 to 80% efficacy.

How soon do you start developing immunity after the first dose?

The initial response comes about two weeks after the vaccine dose, it’s about as long as it takes for the immunity to hit, antibodies to develop, and so on.

What do I do if I feel bad after receiving the vaccine?

Side effects are common with both vaccines that are currently licensed but tend to be relatively minor. Most people report either tenderness or swelling at the injection site, headache, fatigue, sometimes body aches and rarely fever. And in these cases, for the most part, people can take acetaminophen or Tylenol or ibuprofen to help with these symptoms. Generally speaking, it only takes 24 or 48 hours.

What happens if I do not receive the second dose?

Well, nothing happens, for example, but so far we would like people to continue to take the second dose, if possible, because it really offers the highest level of effectiveness, probably around 90-95% for both the vaccines that are available now.

What happens if the second dose is delayed for some reason?

Since we want people to take the second dose in the two-dose series, the goal is to get it as soon as possible. Like most vaccines, you can always take the second dose later than the interval indicates. But since the studies were actually done on a twenty-first or twenty-eight day basis, it is important to try to get the second dose as close as possible.

Is the booster different from the initial dose?

The (second) injection is the same – the same dose, the same volume, but it increases your immunity, hence the name to provide, you know, the highest level of efficacy in the vaccine. And it probably allows the vaccine to work longer over a period of time.

Do we know how long the protection against the vaccine lasts?

We do not. There are several recent reports from Moderna that say it lasts at least a year and could be valid for the Pfizer vaccine, as they are very similar. So the hope is that it would be something that would be at least a year in terms of protection.

Could I get another vaccine if it’s available when the time comes for the second shot?

It is not currently recommended to mix the vaccine, so regardless of the brand you receive for the first dose, you should look to get the same for the second dose.

Should pregnant women receive the vaccine?

The COVID vaccine is indicated for pregnant women and the pregnancy is on the list of priority conditions for phase 1B. This is underlined by the Texas Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel. I think it is often recommended that pregnant women discuss their special situation with their healthcare provider just to see what works best for them.

Should I get the vaccine even if I already had COVID-19?

For COVID infection, the natural immunity to it is relatively unknown and can vary between individuals. And so it was felt that the vaccine, which has been shown to be effective in reducing symptomatic diseases, is a better way to ensure immunity and is also believed to last longer.

When I’m vaccinated, can I give up wearing a mask?

The answer is no. Clinical trials that have been used to study vaccines have not effectively determined whether the vaccine prevents transmission. Therefore, it is very possible that taking a vaccine will reduce your chances of getting the disease, but it still allows you to pass this disease on to someone who has either not been vaccinated or is still vulnerable. So the recommendations are at least until we have enough people who are immunized to maintain the protection we have made.

If my friends and I are all vaccinated, can we go without masks?

If everyone nearby has been immunized, it is very likely that you will all be protected from the symptomatic effects of the disease. But since any of you could potentially transmit the disease, you need to be very careful about how you are around others. I think this is the important message to remember.

Does the vaccine prevent the disease or just the symptoms?

We don’t really know if the vaccine keeps you from getting infected, but we do know that the efficacy data support what is essentially preventing symptomatic disease. Therefore, you are much less likely to get sick if you receive the vaccine than if you did not have the vaccine.