Zack Dumont
I’m going to shrug my nature and be direct: Get your COVID-19 vaccine. Sure, you might be one of the tiny minority that shouldn’t (doubtful), but start from the assumption that you’re getting it and only then look for a reason to not (you probably won’t find one). That’s the alternative to looking for reasons to get it. We can’t afford to have anyone looking for reasons to get it. Just get it.
As an evidence-based medicine devotee, I celebrate people’s skepticism of new medications: the pharmaceutical industry’s proclivity for hyping a medication’s benefits, the mandatory but understated declaration of unwanted adverse effects, the blatant evasion for cost effectiveness considerations. But when it comes to this vaccine, it’s time for a different approach.
We must still hold manufacturers to a high standard — it’s our health and our lives, after all — but this time there’s enough shared interest between producers and consumers that we should rest easier. They want and need a healthy society, they’re aware the whole world is watching, and rather than shooting in the dark, they’re working off a solid foundation of the science of immunology.
As always, I try to present these decisions as a balance between safety and efficacy. Only then can patients make as informed as possible a decision. This time, I might go into the safety aspects with a bit more detail… but not too much.
When it comes to safety — which comes in many shapes and sizes and for which there are many classification systems — one may lump it into two broad categories: side effects that hurt, and side effects that harm. Getting hurt isn’t fun, but it usually doesn’t last, and sometimes it’s even good for you (e.g., building toughness and resilience); being harmed, on the other hand, is almost certainly not a good thing, ever. By all accounts, these vaccines are highly associated with some hurt, and thankfully almost never any harm.
Regarding the former, you should be aware that around one-half of patients receiving the vaccine experience fatigue and/or a headache, one-third have muscle pain and/or chills, and a smaller but non-negligible number have joint pain and/or a fever. As for harm, it’s really only occurred in the form of allergic reactions — and they have been somewhat avoidable.
If you know you’re allergic to a vaccine component, then I’m afraid you’re going to have to count on others to get the vaccine to keep you safe. In summary, it probably sounds like it could cause some nuisance, with an extremely low risk of something serious, right? Now — just imagine the benefits. Just imagine getting back to “normal.” Aren’t you willing to roll the dice and maybe take a little short-term pain for probable long-term gain? I know I am.
Let’s summarize and rapid-fire through a few more FAQs:
- Does the vaccine have side effects? Yes (see above). The effects of COVID-19 are almost always going to be worse.
- Does the vaccine have any long-term side effects? It’s unknown at this time. In the absence of evidence, all we have is debate, and it’s futile to engage. Scientifically speaking, it’s unlikely there are serious long-term side effects. Mechanistically, I can’t see it. However, I am seeing the long-term effects of contracting COVID-19, and it’s stacking up like this: for society, a seemingly endless pandemic; for individuals, it’s weeks- or months-long shortness of breath and fatigue, potential cognitive deficits, and worse — death.
- How do the vaccines work? There are several different vaccines being developed, some with unique mechanisms. The two that are approved in Canada right now use a process that causes the COVID-19 proteins to be developed in your body so that your immune system builds defenses against them, and is ready if/when you’re exposed to the real thing. That end effect is not all that different from previously developed vaccines. The other strategies that are being developed start to work differently, but all of them are ultimately training your immune system.
- Do I need both doses? “Need” is probably the operative word here. Maybe, maybe not. To get the known possible benefit for an individual, the answer is absolutely yes. To get the maximum benefit for an individual, theoretically yes. What is not currently known is whether or not the vaccine’s population-wide effect would be better if courses were completed in everyone who got the first dose, or if they were spread across twice as many people. Unless someone has a crystal ball or some other foresight abilities, there’s no way to know. Reports are speculative projections, and are conflicting. In the meantime, different governments will respond differently. Hopefully we’ll learn from the various approaches.
- Is there a microchip in the vaccine? No. The microchip is in your pocket; it’s in your phone. You’re already being tracked. I shouldn’t have even validated this question with a response!
- Where should I go for reliable information? This is not a situation of scarcity. There’s an abundance of GOOD and RELIABLE information out there. Start with your provincial health websites. They have plain language answers to so many questions. Not seeing your answer, yet? It’s probably because there isn’t an answer. This information is changing rapidly. For example, not sure about the vaccine during pregnancy? It’s because it wasn’t studied (though is probably safe); pregnant women are almost always excluded from the first round of trials, but thankfully, the first vaccines out of the gate will commence studies including pregnant women soon.
It appears that the most common reason for vaccine hesitancy is concern about side effects, and that’s understandable. However, side effects that don’t come with actual harm, and are accompanied by immense potential for benefit, may very well be worth it in the long-run. I’ll say it again: Get your shot.