Search Results for coronavirus

COVID-19 vaccines are critical for controlling the pandemic; vaccines still offer partial protection against new variants of the virus

Emerging variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, some of which are more transmissible, have led to speculation about the efficacy of current COVID-19 vaccines. Emerging variants are subject to continuous monitoring to evaluate their potential impact on COVID-19 transmission and disease outcomes. The evidence so far indicates that COVID-19 vaccines still confer partial protection against these variants. Furthermore, the COVID-19 vaccines in use can be rapidly modified, and manufacturers are already anticipating new vaccine formulations to improve their efficacy against the new variants.

COVID-19 RNA vaccines are safe, cannot modify human DNA; death rate in vaccinated people isn’t higher than in unvaccinated people

The COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the U.S. were tested in thousands of people during clinical trials and were shown to be safe. The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccines are designed to prompt our cells to produce the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and cannot change your DNA. There are rare cases of anaphylactic reactions to the vaccines, which would be expected in any widely distributed vaccine. There is no evidence that the COVID-19 vaccines have contributed to any deaths.

Mask mandates are associated with reductions in the spread of COVID-19 cases and deaths; contrary to One America News article

A recent CDC study found that mask mandates were associated with a significant decrease in the growth rate of both COVID-19 cases and deaths during the 100 days after the policies were implemented. The study also found that policies allowing on-premises restaurant dining were associated with an increase in the growth rate of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Claiming that the CDC study shows mask usage had a negligible impact on the spread of COVID-19 is inaccurate.

Data from Israel showed that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine reduces the likelihood of dying from COVID-19; analysis in a forum post claiming the opposite is flawed

Clinical trials showed that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has an efficacy of about 95%. The vaccine requires two doses to achieve full efficacy. It can also take several weeks for immunity to develop, during which people still remain vulnerable to COVID-19. Safety data from trials and monitoring of ongoing vaccination campaigns don’t show that vaccinated people are more likely to die from COVID-19. In fact, data from Israel indicates that the vaccine is effective at reducing the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

Six residents in a German nursing home died from COVID-19, not from vaccines

Any event that occurs after someone received a COVID-19 vaccine isn’t necessarily a consequence of vaccination but may simply happen by coincidence. The risk of severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age, posing a specific risk for this population. In contrast, available evidence doesn’t suggest that frail, elderly individuals are more susceptible to vaccine side effects than others. Ongoing safety monitoring of COVID-19 vaccination shows that COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are safe and effective for elderly populations.

The U.S. leads the world in number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered, but not in the proportion of the population vaccinated

Several countries, including the U.S., started rolling out COVID-19 vaccines in December 2020. So far, the U.S. has administered more COVID-19 vaccine doses than any other country in the world. However, the majority of the U.S. population still needs to be vaccinated to halt the spread of the virus and reduce the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. When measured as a proportion of population, 15% of the U.S. population has received at least one vaccine dose, as compared to 30% of the population in the U.K. and 55% of the population in Israel.

Yes, COVID-19 vaccines will help us safely resume normal activities like going to restaurants and meeting people, once enough people are vaccinated for herd immunity

The COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration demonstrated a high level of safety and efficacy in protecting people from disease. Their ability to reduce transmission is unclear, but studies are underway. Due to the concern that vaccinated people may still transmit the virus to unvaccinated people, the former still need to practice preventative measures like mask-wearing and physical distancing. Unvaccinated people remain the majority of the population in most countries, since not everyone can be vaccinated at the same time due to issues like vaccine supply scarcity and labor shortages.

Pregnant women can decide whether to receive the COVID-19 vaccine; safety monitoring suggests that COVID-19 vaccines don’t pose any specific risk for pregnant women

COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration demonstrated a high level of safety and efficacy in clinical trials. However, limited data is available regarding the safety and efficacy of these vaccines in pregnant women because they were excluded from initial clinical trials. Available evidence from animal studies and ongoing vaccine safety monitoring suggests that COVID-19 vaccines don’t pose any specific risk for pregnant women. In contrast, pregnant women have an increased risk of suffering complications from COVID-19, which may affect pregnancy outcomes.