Columbia Memorial | Health Compass | Winter 2021

On Dec. 11, 2020, the FDA gave authorization for the emergency use of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine received this authorization on Dec. 18, 2020. These vaccines are a big step forward in the fight against COVID-19. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines contain genetic material called messenger RNA (mRNA). This small piece of the coronavirus’s mRNA orders the cells in your body to make copies of a distinctive but harmless spike protein that appears on the surface of the coronavirus. These spike proteins trigger an immune reaction. Your body creates antibodies, which then protect you from getting sick if you’re exposed to the real virus later. It’s important to note that neither vaccine contains the real coronavirus, so getting them cannot give you COVID-19. Anyone receiving the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines will need two shots given about three weeks to one month apart. According to the CDC, it usually takes a few weeks for immunity to develop after any vaccine. Trial data suggest that these vaccines start to offer some protection about 14 days after the first shot. For now, the Pfizer vaccine is approved for use in anyone age 16 or older, and Moderna’s is for anyone age 18 or older. In trials looking at preventing COVID-19, Pfizer’s vaccine was 95% effective and Moderna’s vaccine was 94.1% effective. That’s very good. The FDA’s benchmark for vaccine approval was an efficacy rate of 50%. It is not yet clear how long the vaccine will provide protection or whether it prevents someone from spreading the virus, so it is important for those who get the vaccine to continue taking other safety precautions. There are only two contraindications, or reasons, not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine: an active COVID-19 infection or an allergy to a vaccine component. Pregnant women should consult with their OB-GYN before getting vaccinated. If you do not have a contraindication to receiving the vaccine, we strongly encourage you to consider getting one when it is offered to you. What to know about the Pfizer- BioNTech and Moderna vaccines There are only two reasons not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine: an active COVID-19 infection or an allergy to a vaccine component. COLUMBIAMEMORIAL.ORG WINTER 2021 7 COVID-19 vaccinations in our community On Dec. 22, 2020, CMH received 300 doses of the Moderna vaccine. Within 24 hours, doctors, nurses, housekeepers and other caregivers who regularly encounter COVID-19-positive patients were vaccinated. As of Jan. 15, 2021, CMH has administered 800 doses of the Moderna vaccine to health care workers and first responders in Clatsop County. CMH is playing a major role in the Clatsop County COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force. If you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, send them to the Task Force email: covid19vaccine@ clatsopeoc.com .