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The year is drawing to a close, and Voices for Vaccines needs donors to support the work we do, such as sending out this newsletter. Please consider becoming a monthly donor today!
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COVID-19 Vaccine Injury Stories
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Now that COVID-19 vaccines are going into the arms of our beloved healthcare heroes and our parents and grandparents living in nursing care, we have already started seeing rumors spread about deaths and adverse reactions to the vaccine.
The facts:
Do not freak out. We were expecting these rumors, and we have ways to prepare people and inoculate them against falling prey to false rumors.
One particular rumor involves the purported death of a nurse in Alabama following COVID-19 vaccine. Alabama's health department tracked down the truth and found no nurses who received the vaccine were reported deceased. We have created a video to teach the public how these friend-of-a-friend stories are spread, and we also have this classic blog post guiding folks in how to respond to a claim of vaccine injury for any vaccine.
With billions of people receiving the vaccine over the next months and years, we can expect some one-in-a-million (or billion) reactions. We can also expect some bad health outcomes that will follow the vaccine and likely would have occurred even if the person hadn't received the vaccine. After all, our loved ones in long-term care do, Unfortunatley, pass away, and even young and apparently health adults can die unexpectedly and suddenly. It's important to help people frame the frightening stories we know they will hear before they hear them.
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COVID-19 Vaccine Trials Warp Speedy
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We all remember that COVID-19 was not on our radar until January 2020, so having a vaccine going into people's arms in December 2020 seems fast. Is it too fast?
The facts:
No. The question is not about how fast the vaccine is available, but if corners were cut to get it to the public quickly. They were not.
To be sure they were not, we talked to Dr. Paul Offit in our latest Vax Talk episode. He was concerned when Operation Warp speed was announced that full Phase 3 clinical trials would not occur, but those big trials did occur, with tens of thousand of volunteers receiving either a vaccine or a placebo so that the outcomes of the two groups could be compared.
So how did we get this vaccine so quickly if corners were not cut? Time, resources, people devoted to the vaccine, with portions of the development happening concurrently (like swim lanes instead of a relay race).
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Reports of fevers, aches, and malaise following the COVID-19 vaccine have some people feeling unsure about taking these vaccines.
The facts:
Unpleasant side effects are just that: unpleasant. We know that when a vaccine engages the immune system, normal immune responses such as fevers and muscle aches are a possibility. However, with vaccines, these symptoms are not an indication of danger ahead the way they might be with a viral or bacterial infection. They are only indications that the immune system is at work, the way it is at work when a bug bite feels itchy or dust can make us sneeze.
Preparing people for these kinds of side effects can help them feel more at ease in accepting a vaccine. In the past, this strategy was used with the newer shingles vaccine. People, knowing what to expect, planned for being at home and taking it easy following vaccination.
We can encourage people to accept a vaccine with greater reactogencity by allowing paid time off following immunization. With so many working from home, we might also want to include a few Netflix suggestions to underscore the "not working" part.
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Vaccine Fact of the Week to Share
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Healthcare workers are thrilled to lead by example in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Many are sharing their excitement at the #ThisIsOurShot hashtag. We invite everyone who receives a vaccine to share their moment with Voices for Vaccines, and please reshare our many social media posts congratulating individual recipients.
Please take notice: if you are a POC or indigenous person, we would be especially honored to congratulate you. Please share your photo and story now!
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