Questions, questions about the vaccine
Dr. Fauci answers many concerns with confidence
AIRPORT VOICE, DECEMBER 2020 3
BY JEFF YAPALATER
Will you take the
vaccine? Science
of fiction? Hoax or
hope?
The U.S. has been writing
anxiously for a Covid vaccine.
As of now, Pfizer is the only
manufacturer granted emergency
authorization of use of
the vaccine in the country.
Moderna is on the cusp of approval
as well giving Americans
two vaccines.
But, a lot of people have
questions about the ingredients,
potential side-effects,
long term complications and
use with children, pregnant
women and people with acute
allergies.
Dr. Fauci has given dozens
of interviews about the vaccine,
its development, safety
and administration. Following
is a compilation of remarks
he and others have
made on these important concerns.
What is in the
vaccine
To begin, the two vaccines
are they call messenger vaccines.
In interviews Fauci
says that these vaccine do not
contain live virus, but contain
a genetic code for a portion of
the virus called the spike protein.
This is injected into the
body and prompts the body
to create antibodies to prevent
the spike protein which
is blocked by the antibodies
and not allowing the virus
from entering the cell. Our
own cells begin making more
of that spike protein ad making
antibodies. He calls it Plug
and Play.
This makes getting the Covid
infection very difficult. In
fact, both vaccines have a 95
% efficacy rate in preventing
infection. You can get sick but
the vaccine does not totally
prevent a person who is inoculated
from spreading the virus
but the chance is low. That
is why Fauci says wearing a
mask is still necessary.
Both Pfizer and Moderna
are two-shot vaccines. Both
inoculate the 2nd dose about 3
weeks after the first injection.
Johnson and Johnson says
protein is expressed and start
to get immune response 10-14
days aft the single dose
According to trials, some
individuals experienced an
immunity days after the first
does, but both manufacturers
say to take the 2nd dose to get
maximum protection. You get
“ some degree, not optimal immunity
a couple of weeks after
the first dose bet optimal immunity
7-10 days after the 2nd
dose according to Johnson
and Johnson. .Fauci has said
that without a vaccine, Normally
get symptoms 2-14 days
with a median of 5-7 days after
being infected. He said that
even if you had Covid, Yes,
even if you had covid can take
the vaccine with prime and
boost. It lasts longer lasting
and is stronger. He says that
why take the chance of getting
the virus when the long term
complications are unknown
when taking the virus can
likely prevent this from impacting
other organs.
Pfizer/BioNTech’s vaccine
must be stored at -70° C (-94°F)
and there are two main ways
to maintain that temperature:
dry ice and temperature-controlled
refrigeration units.
The Moderna vaccine,
which is also being reviewed
for an EUA, “remains stable at
2° to 8°C (36° to 46°F), the temperature
of a standard home
or medical refrigerator, for 30
days,” according to a Nov. 16
company statement. After 30
days, its vaccine can remain
stable for up to six months
at -20° C (-4°F) for up to six
months.
Who will receive
vaccine and when
Because of limited quantities
for the first few months
Fauci explained that there is
an order of injection. The first
groups are frontline health
care providers, people in
nursing facilities and elderly.
The general population will
see vaccine available by end
of March or early April. The
quicker the a large number
of the population receives the
vaccine, the over overwhelming
majority umbrella of developing
herd immunity . But
we are at a dangerous period
with holiday gatherings, even
a home, that we could suffer a
1-2 punch before enough people
are inoculated.
Reliability of the
vaccine
He does not believe that the
manufacturers did this too
fast. With the technological
advances and money allocated
to get doses ready to get vaccine
administered. The Public
knows this is made by independent
safety board, scrutinized
application the to FDA
then another FDA advisory
committee then start distribution
is all open and transparent
he said.
Because of the initial shortage
of the vaccines there may
be a possibility that the Moderna
vaccine could be available
before another Pfizer
dose is ready. They are almost
identical in how each works
but there are no studies with
mixing the two and we are in
unchartered water he said.
Wearing of Masks,
social distancing
Fauci has said that the
doesn’t think we will soon
see complete abandonment
of restrictions masks, social
distance , staying away from
crowds, and washing hands..
He said that the vaccines will
take time to get to the number
needed for immunity.
Even is an individual sf
vaccinated and protected from
getting sick, but necessarily
protected against infection.
So you many have virus in
nasal area that may not affect
anyone which can be gradually
educed as more and more
get vaccinated .But not immediately.
(13:11)
16:17. until level of virus
is so low, we know vaccine is
95 % effective preventing you
from getting sick but don’t
know if it protection against
infection that can be spread by
the virus in the nasal pharenx
. that it would be less likely
to transmit. You could be infected
but the level of virus so
low in you that don’t get sick
and low likelihood to spread to
other people. but this is not yet
know so the preventable measures
will stay in place until
we know more, he says.
Cost of the vaccine
The vaccine will be free
for Americans. It was unclear
whether those with Green
Cards or in the country on visas
would be included.
Stability of the
vaccines
The Pfizer vaccine is the
most complex to transport.
Special shipping containers
holdup to 5,000 doses and are
packed with dry ice. There are
GPS-monitored coolers that
can keep the vaccine at required
temperatures for up to
10 days. And the company has
developed real-time GPS capability
to report potential temperature
variations, reducing
the odds that the shot will lose
its potency before it reaches
patients. Receiving facilities
throughout the nation have
therequired freezers for this
vaccine.
Vaccine Production
Prizer’s Michigan plant
cover two square miles and
is the largest manufacturing
site in the world for Pfizer.
Raw material production begins
in St;. Louis, then purified
in Andover Maryland
then shipped to Michigan
where the drug is combned
with other raw materials.
The final assembly site in
the US for the vaccines is in
Kalamazoo, Michigan.
There is also a production
and final assembly site in
Puurs, Belgium.= where the
fisrst quantity of pre-released
vaccine was shipped toChicago
via United Airines more
than a week before full distribution
on Dwc 14.
About 25 million doses of
the Pfizer vaccine may become
available in December,
30 million in January and 35
million more in February and
March, according to information
presented to the National
Academy of Medicine at the
end of November.
Pfizer also has a distribution
site in Karlsruhe, Germany
whjere Pfizer’s BioNTech
partner of the BNT162b2
vaccine is situated.
CVS Walgreens
Vaccines are on track for
federal authorization this
month and could begin shipping
within days of receiving
clearance, U.S. officials have
said. CVS and Walgreens will
deliver most vaccine doses for
the nation’s approximately
15,600 nursing homes and
29,000 assisted-living communities.