Covid-19 Vaccination Questions and answers - Edit 3.pptx

Covid 19 Questions and Answers

1. Covid-19 Vaccination Questions and answers Information taken from slides produced by the following : David Elliman PHE/GOSH/Whittington/CNWL Louise Keane, Professional Education and Development Nurse, North London Partners Richard Taylor- Elphick , Adult Social Care Programme Lead, North London Councils Nick Ince , Transformation Programme Manager, NCL CCG Drawn up by Efa Mortty Deputy Head of Medicines Management NCL CCG Haringey Borough Updated 15 Jan 2021 Reviewed by Will Maimaris DPH Haringey

2. How does the Pfizer/ BioNTech and Moderna vaccine work?

3. How does the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine work?

4. Popular reasons for getting vaccinated against Covid To protect other people from catching the virus Because vaccines have been very successful against other diseases Because it will reduce my risk of being seriously ill if I do catch the coronavirus Because it will reduce my risk of catching the coronavirus Because it will allow my life to get back to normal more quickly

5. Potential Questions As the vaccine has been ‘rushed through’, how can I be sure no corners have been cut? 7, 8, 9, 10 How do we know the vaccine is safe and whether it is safe for me, Will the vaccine affect other health conditions I may have? Can you guarantee no rare adverse reactions or reactions that occur later on? 11,12,13 Are there any human or animal materials in the vaccine? 14 Why can’t I have the vaccine now? 15 Can I wait and have the vaccine later or choose the vaccine I want to have? 16 Has the vaccine been tried on people like me? 17 Can I have just one dose? 18 Should I have the vaccine, even if I know I have had the disease or if I have ‘long Covid-19’? 19 Could the vaccine affect my genes? 20 Do I have to have the vaccine? 21 Will the vaccine give me Covid-19? 22

6. Potential Questions cont. I have already had Covid-19, so do I still need the vaccine? 23 Does the vaccine contain microchips? 24 Need to know whether the vaccine ingredients are permissible in my religion. 25 Concerns they are guinea pigs and that this is being used as ethnic cleansing or to kill off vulnerable people. 26, 11, 12, 13 Previous bad results e.g. with thalidomide means there is mistrust of the vaccine. 27, 11, 12, 13 Pregnant women told not to have it – why? 28 I want to wait and see how others get on with the vaccine. 29, 11, 12, 13 What will the vaccine do to my body? 30, 31 How quickly does the vaccine work? And how long does it last? 32 Will I become immune to Covid-19 by taking the vaccine? 33 Do I still need to follow government guidelines (social distance, face coverings, hand washing) after my vaccine? 34 Can I transmit the virus to other people after I’ve been vaccinated? 35

7. Answers As the vaccine has been ‘rushed through’, how can we be sure no corners have been cut? All the stages of research that would normally have been gone through, have been here. Because of the urgency, much resource – financial and human - has been diverted into research allowing things to proceed quicker. Some stages, rather than being carried out consecutively, have happened in parallel. The same numbers of vaccinations have been studied as would normally. The regulators have been reviewing the data from some vaccine trials as they are carried out, rather than waiting and looking at all of it at the end.

8. Answers As the vaccine has been ‘rushed through’, how can we be sure no corners have been cut? Cont. The development of the Covid-19 vaccines is a result of a century of microbiology and immunology research and 50 years of concentrated vaccine research and innovation. Usually takes ten to 15 years to make and that's why people are concerned development has been rushed. In clinical trials most of the time is spent doing nothing whilst funding is applied for and the trial is approved. The waiting and logistics takes time. Covid has a world wide interest, has shown if you bring together some really smart people, pump in unlimited money and have super keen volunteers as we have had in this instance, we can do some amazing things like create a vaccine in under a year. Safety has not been compromised as the regulatory bodies have had access along the way. The press has reported every adverse event.

9. Traditional Development of a Vaccine Sharma O, Sultan AA, Ding H and Triggle CR (2020) A Review of the Progress and Challenges of Developing a Vaccine for Covid-19. Front. Immunol. 11:585354. doi : 10.3389/fimmu.2020.585354

10. Accelerated Development of a vaccine in a Pandemic Sharma O, Sultan AA, Ding H and Triggle CR (2020) A Review of the Progress and Challenges of Developing a Vaccine for Covid-19. Front. Immunol. 11:585354. doi : 10.3389/fimmu.2020.585354

11. How do we know the vaccine is safe? Around 40,000 people have been involved in the initial trials, and around 2 million have been vaccinated to date, including the Queen, David Attenborough, and the President of the United States Minor side effects such as fever, sore arm, headache, are common with the mRNA vaccines, and are seen within a short period of administration Serious adverse events are rare- severe allergic reactions to vaccines can happen, but those who have experienced this have had a history of anaphylaxis, and have recovered. Answers

12. Can you guarantee no rare adverse reactions or reactions that occur later on? Pfizer- BioNTech Covid-19 The reported rate of serious adverse events is  less than 0.5 percent in both placebo and vaccine groups – there does not seem to be additional risk of developing a serious condition if you have the vaccine Data collection is on going. Patients will be followed up long term and the safety process will continue, reports generated and acted upon as soon as needed With all vaccines, nearly all of the side effects present in the short term after the vaccine is given. Four cases of Bell’s palsy have been reported in participants who received the vaccine, while none have been reported in those who got the placebo. However, those four cases are consistent with the rate of Bell’s palsy in the general population. In other words, there’s no clear evidence that the Bell’s palsy was caused by the vaccine.

13. How do we know the vaccine is safe? In the UK we have several organisations that all ensure medicine and vaccines are safe to use, such as Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Commission on Human Medicine, Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) At your vaccine appointment you will speak to a clinician who will check that you are suitable to receive the vaccine and can answer any questions that you might have. Answers

14. Answers Are there any materials of human or animal origin in the vaccine? No A material used in the early stage of the manufacturing process contains a component that is derived from bovine milk. The bovine milk is fit for human consumption Other raw materials used in the manufacture of the vaccine are of non-animal origin. All lipid excipients used in the vaccine are either from plant-derived sources or are synthetic and have no animal components.

15. Answers Why can’t I have the vaccine now? There are limited supplies of vaccine at this stage. The vaccine is being prioritised for those who are at highest risk of developing complications of Covid-19 and their carers. You will not be able to get the vaccine privately at this stage. The vaccine is being distributed in a way so as to get as many people protected in the shortest space of time

16. Answers Can I wait and have the vaccine later or choose the vaccine I want to have? Vaccination against Covid-19 is not compulsory. You can decline to have the vaccine and there are no plans to exclude people who change their minds. However, we would not recommend that you wait as you have been offered the vaccine because you are in a high risk group, the delay could be dangerous for you or those you look after. At this stage, there are no obvious advantages between the vaccines from the point of view of the recipients.

17. Answers Has the vaccine been tried on people like me? The vaccine has been given to people from a variety of ethnic groups and with a variety of co-morbidities and ages both in the trials and in the general population. At the moment there are 40,000 who were in the trial, and around 2 million vaccinated in the general public. There is no experience in children under 12 and limited experience in those less than 16 years. The vaccine has not been given to pregnant women

18. Answers Can I have just one dose of vaccine? The interval between doses must be at least 3 weeks depending on the vaccine received. The vaccines efficacy is optimised when a second dose is administered The vaccines offer considerable protection after a single dose, at least in the short term. The second dose completes the course and is likely to be important for longer term protection. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/statement-from-the-uk-chief-medical-officers-on-the-prioritisation-of-first-doses-of-covid-19-vaccines

19. Answers Should I have the vaccine, even if I know I have had the disease or if I have ‘long Covid-19’? Yes. We don’t know if you develop protection from having the disease or how long that protection might last. If someone with long Covid is deteriorating, then it would be wise to postpone the vaccine until they are stable. There is no evidence that the vaccine would make any difference to their condition, but it might be blamed.

20. Answers Could the vaccine affect my genes? No. None of the vaccines approved interfere in any way with your own DNA. No vaccine uses human DNA. Your genes reside in your DNA. Your DNA produces mRNA which is then used to make the proteins that make up your body. The vaccine does not enter your cell nucleus where your DNA resides.

21. Answers Do I have to have the Vaccine? No you have the right to refuse. Vaccines are not mandatory in the UK. However we would encourage all to read information from creditable sources to make an informed decision.

22. Answers Will the vaccine give me Covid-19? NO – you cannot catch Covid-19 from the vaccine, It is not a live vaccine therefore you would not be injected with the actual virus. If you test positive after vaccination it is possible you may have caught Covid-19 before being vaccinated and not realise until after you had the vaccine. If you have symptoms of Covid-19 around the time of vaccination then you should self-isolate and get a test

23. Answers I have already had Covid-19, so do I still need the vaccine? Past Covid-19 infection provides some immunity for a short period but people may still carry and transmit the virus to other people Therefore it is vital to have the vaccine even if you have already been infected with Covid-19

24. Answers Does the vaccine contain microchips? No the vaccines do not contain microchips

25. Answers Need to know whether the vaccine ingredients are permissible in my religion: Pfizer- BioNTech Covid-19 The British Islamic Medical Association has issued a position statement recommending the Pfizer/ BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for eligible at-risks individuals in the Muslim community. https://britishima.org/pfizer-biontech-covid19-vaccine/ and https://britishima.org/covid19-vaccine-az/ There is no specific information or position statement on the vaccine for the Jewish community. An update will be provided when information is available. https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/excipients-information-for-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine/

26. Answers Concerns we are guinea pigs and that this is being used as ethnic cleansing or to kill off vulnerable people Experience from the first wave of Covid infection shows that the vulnerable groups were at risk of experiencing the worst outcomes from the infection. Age is the primary predictor of poor outcomes from Covid-19 infections. This means primarily targeting older people with the vaccine initially will give them protection sooner. After making sure the most vulnerable in the community are protected the program will start seeking to protect the next vulnerable group and so forth and so on. Front line workers will also be initially targeted to protect them and also the patients they interact with.

27. Answers Previous bad results e.g. with thalidomide mean there is mistrust of the vaccine It is understandable that history has generated mistrust Medical advancement means that lessons have been learnt from past mistakes, checks and balances have been introduced to mitigate errors of the past Technology development now allows us to collect data in real time. Cascade systems are already in operation so that responses to adverse events are dealt with promptly. This system was not available many years ago In relation to these vaccines data collection is on going. Patients are being followed up long term and the safety process will continue. Any reports generated will be acted upon as soon as needed to protect patients

28. Answers Pregnant women told not to have it – why? For all medicines, including vaccines, clinical trials are not carried out routinely in pregnancy. Therefore there is no data as yet on the safety of Covid-19 vaccines in pregnancy, either from human or animal studies. Given the lack of evidence and as a precautionary approach, pregnant women should not receive the vaccine, unless they are at very high risk of becoming infected, or of developing severe complications if infected, in which case she should discuss vaccination with doctor or nurse. Data is anticipated in the future which will inform discussions on vaccination in pregnancy.

29. Answers I want to wait and see how others get on with the vaccine. By Jan 12 th 2021 more than 2 million people in the UK have received first doses. This number is growing daily. Currently, daily rates of infections are high. Being in a vulnerable group and delaying being vaccinated increases your risk of contracting Covid-19 and a poor outcome from the disease. This vaccine is safe. Data collection is on going. Patients are being followed up long term and the safety process will continue. Any reports generated will be acted upon as soon as needed to protect patients.

30. Answers What will the vaccine do to my body- Pfizer and Moderna vaccines ? The vaccines contain messenger RNA (mRNA). mRNA vaccines gives your cells instructions to make proteins that are on the Covid virus surface. These proteins are read by your cell and then appear on your cell surface and your body recognises them as foreign and your immune system produces antibodies to destroy them. Your immune system remembers this encounter and when you get infected with the coronavirus it produces the correct antibodies to attack it preventing it from causing disease. The mRNA particle does not live long in your cells and gets degraded after a few hours.

31. Answers What will the vaccine do to my body? Oxford Astra/Zeneca Part of the coronavirus protein is put in a harmless virus that infects your cells. These proteins are read by your cell and then appear on your cell surface and your body recognises them as foreign and your immune system produces antibodies to then destroy them. Your immune system remembers this encounter and when you get infected with the coronavirus it produces the correct antibodies to attack it preventing it from causing disease.

32. Answers How quickly does the vaccine work? And how long does it last? Protection from the virus starts after about 12 days. You will still have a good level of protection after the first dose, so don't worry if you are not invited for the second dose as quickly as you might have hoped. The second dose is more important for longer-lasting protection, so it's still really important to go back for your second dose when you are invited for it. We don't yet know exactly how long protection will last, and this may vary between different vaccines. It is likely to be at least several months, but it may be that repeat vaccinations are needed. Researchers are studying this closely.

33. Answers Will I become immune to Covid by taking the vaccine? We know from other coronaviruses that natural immunity is discussed in terms of year(s), not decades. It’s likely that we will need boosters at some point, but how long after the original vaccination is uncertain right now. It’s entirely possible we may end up needing a yearly vaccine for Covid-19 or a booster every few years or not at all. It’s too early to tell.

34. Answers Do I still need to follow government guidelines (social distance, face coverings, hand washing) after my vaccine? Yes. You need to continue to follow all the official guidance after you’ve been vaccinated. This protects you and other people. The vaccines are highly effective at preventing people from becoming ill or dying from Covid-19. No vaccine is 100% effective. The vaccines take time to provide protection (effect is not immediate) We do not yet know how if/to what extent being vaccinated will reduce the risk of people passing the virus on to others. Research is underway to answer this question. Some people may not be able to have the vaccine. Continuing to follow the guidance protects them as well.  

35. Answers Can I transmit the virus to other people after I’ve been vaccinated? We don’t know yet. So you need to still follow the guidance to help keep other people safe. The vaccines are highly effective at preventing the person vaccinated from becoming ill or dying from Covid-19. We don’t yet know if/to what extent people who’ve had the vaccine can still transmit the virus which causes Covid-19 to others. Research is underway to answer this question. Consequently, it is essential that people continue to follow the government guidelines (hands, face, space) after they’ve been vaccinated.