Columbia Memorial | Health Compass | Winter 2021

It only works if we all do our part: When no one or just a few people are vaccinated , the coronavirus spreads easily and makes a lot of people sick. When enough people are vaccinated , it’s difficult for the virus to spread and fewer people get sick. Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services How does herd immunity work? Herd immunity helps protect those who can’t get vaccinated yet, such as: Keep distancing. Mask up. Get vaccinated when it’s your turn. Children People with severe vaccine allergies questions that are not answered by the Oregon Health Authority, email the Clatsop County Health Department at covid19vaccine@ clatsopeoc.com . Q How will we know a vaccine is safe? A A vaccine must be shown to be safe and effective before it can be offered to the public — that’s what the clinical trial process is for. Phase 1 trials test a vaccine in a small number of people. Phase 2 trials test a vaccine in several hundred people. Phase 3 trials involve thousands of people who are given either the vaccine or a placebo. All of these trials assess a vaccine’s safety and how well it works. The FDA will only approve a vaccine if it determines that the benefits outweigh the risks. The FDA continues to monitor vaccines for safety after they’re approved, including inspecting the production process and tracking reports of side effects. Q What does it mean when a vaccine trial is paused? A A vaccine trial may be paused for safety when one or more participants have what’s called an adverse event — usually an unexplained illness. Researchers temporarily pause the trial so they can look into whether the person’s illness was random or related to the vaccine being studied. These pauses are a normal part of the clinical trial process and mean the system is working the way it should. Q Will I need one shot or two? A Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are two-dose series. The Pfizer vaccine requires a second dose after 21 days, and the Moderna vaccine requires a second dose after 28 days. Q What kinds of side effects are people reporting after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine? A Side effects currently listed by Pfizer and Moderna include: ● After the first dose — injection site pain (2.7%) ● After the second dose — fatigue (9.7%), muscle pain (8.9%), joint pain (5.2%), headache (4.5%), pain (4.1%) and erythema/redness at the injection site (2.0%) These adverse events tended to be more common after the second dose but were generally short- lived, resolving within 48 hours of administration. Those who have received the vaccine at CMH have indicated soreness in the injection site for 48 to 72 hours. Q How much will vaccines cost? A The government has said COVID-19 vaccines will be provided either free or at low cost. If there is a cost to getting vaccinated, most health plans will cover it. There should be no cost to the person getting the vaccine. CMH is not charging anything for the doses it administers to the community. You can read the state of Oregon’s vaccination plan at covidvaccine.oregon.gov . COLUMBIAMEMORIAL.ORG WINTER 2021 5