Prep for the Vaccine
MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH UPDATE
What a week!
We peacefully transitioned Presidential power; ushered into office the first woman, the first South Asian American, and the first Black Vice President; and we watched—awestruck—as the words of a 22-year-old poet laureate electrified the stage and energized our nation.
Hopes are high for 2021.
As we prepare for a new chapter in history, let’s also prepare our bodies and minds for getting the vaccine.
What if you don’t yet qualify to get the vaccine?
I feel your pain. Waiting is excruciating. Know that more doses are coming. Fortunately, Johnson & Johnson’s safe and effective single-dose vaccine is likely to be approved by the FDA in the next few weeks. Doses are already being shipped in anticipation of this green light. Your turn will come!
As for kids and teens, we’re still waiting for clinical trial data to prove the vaccine’s safety and efficacy in this population. I expect we’ll see this data in the next few months. FDA approval should follow shortly thereafter.
Meanwhile, recall that Pfizer’s vaccine has been authorized for ages 16 and up, and Moderna’s vaccine for ages 18 and up. However most teens will be last in line to get vaccinated because compared to adults they tend to fare quite well with COVID-19.
What if you meet the criteria to get the vaccine but you just can’t get an appointment?
I also feel your pain. Keep calling. Keep refreshing your screen. Be patient.
Today the Biden administration promised bold, federally-coordinated efforts to get more doses into people’s arms.
And this morning I learned that DC residents who are 65 and Maryland residents who are 75 and older can go to the MEDSTAR vaccine website or call (202) 429-2401 to register for it. Sibley hospital has started contacting and vaccinating DC residents ages 65 and over who have been in the Sibley system within the last two years and have registered on MyChart. Also, DC, Maryland, and Virginia residents ages 65 and over can register for email alerts at Howard University's vaccine website, however scheduling at Howard is only open to DC residents at the moment.
And for anyone over 65 in DC, MD, or VA who might need help navigating the appointment system, click HERE to connect with a tech-savvy GW college student willing to help you out! It takes a village!
Now that you have your vaccine appointment, how should you get ready for your big day?
The short story for most people is this: just show up. No preparation is needed. All you need is your ID and your arm.
There are no evidence-based home therapies to “boost” your immune system’s ability to create antibodies after a vaccine. But I still recommend a good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast before you head to your appointment! Rest, hydration, and a high-protein/high-fiber diet always do a body good.
If you are someone who takes an immunosuppressant medication (for example Humira for Ulcerative Colitis or Cosentyx for psoriasis), you definitely should take the vaccine. It’s safe. You also should consider consulting your doctor about possibly skipping a dose of your immune suppressant medication around the time of your vaccine. In so doing, you give your body the best opportunity to mount a robust immune response to the vaccine. However, you might also cause a flare of your autoimmune condition, which is why you should only make this decision in consultation with your doctor.
If you have a history of allergies (for example to pets, peanuts, penicillin, or pollen), you are safe to get the vaccine based on robust research. Yet people are reading online that they should premedicate with Benadryl in order to quiet any possible allergic reaction. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS. It could backfire. Most vaccine allergies happen right away, during the 30 minutes you’ll be observed after getting the shot. And should you end up being one of the rare people who does develop an allergic reaction to the COVID shot, you don’t want Benadryl to mask it, only to find out later—once Benadryl has worn off—that you’re itchy and away from medical care.
If you are pregnant, nursing, or planning to become pregnant, first consult your doctor about getting the vaccine. Not enough pregnant and nursing women were enrolled in the current vaccine trials to know for sure that the vaccine is safe in these populations, but I can’t think of any reason it wouldn’t be safe. Because getting COVID-19 itself is particularly risky during pregnancy, I myself wouldn’t hesitate to get the shot if pregnant.
What should you expect after getting the shot?
Immediately after the vaccine is administered, you might feel ELATION AND HOPE! I did!
After a few hours, most people notice some discomfort at the injection site, and perhaps some redness and swelling. Apply ice to your arm. Or take Advil or Tylenol to relieve these common side effects.
Within 48 hours, some people also experience headache, fatigue, body aches—essentially flu-like symptoms. These are normal and represent your immune system appropriately mounting an antibody response. Hydration plus Tylenol or Advil are the best treatments. Some people need a day off work or school to rest and recoup. Time is the best remedy for these normal vaccine side effects?
How effective is the vaccine after one dose? Can you change your behavior after you’ve had it?
According to Pfizer data published in December 2020, their vaccine is approximately 52% effective after the first dose. However, this early protection doesn't kick in until at least day 12. The data is similar for the Moderna shot.
The bottom line is this: until you’ve had BOTH doses of vaccine (separated by three weeks for Pfizer and four weeks for Moderna), you should behave exactly as you have been doing all along—wearing a mask, distancing, handwashing, and avoiding indoor spaces. It’s only after two weeks after the second dose that you are 95% protected from getting COVID-19 and 100% protected from getting severe disease. (And even after both vaccine doses, we still need to follow risk mitigation precautions—at least until we achieve herd immunity.) Expect more on this in another newsletter. I’ll discuss what to expect—and how you might rethink decisions—after you’ve had both shots.
Can you get COVID-19 after getting the first dose?
First, recall that it’s impossible to get COVID-19 from the vaccine. (Click HERE and HERE for my answers to vaccine FAQs.)
But yes, you absolutely can get COVID-19 even after getting one of the two shots! As above, you’re only about 52% protected after a single dose of Pfizer’s vaccine. So while you might have some antibodies circulating 12 days afterwards, you might not have enough to fend off an infection if exposed. Example: the Capitol insurrection on January 6! A few of the people who got infected that day had only received one of the two shots. Exposed indoors to unmasked individuals carrying COVID, these partially-vaccinated folks were naturally vulnerable.
Speaking of vulnerability, I was thrilled to see my article about managing pandemic stress in PRINT in this week’s Washington Post. (Click here to read!) Here I am reminding myself to take my own medicine.
The bottom line? Take the vaccine when your turn comes. Encourage your friends, family, and co-workers to get it, too. And take care of yourself, mentally and physically, in the meantime. We have a long road ahead, but we are getting there!
I will see you next week. Until then, be well.