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by Dr. Amanda Westfall McCarty
All
we hear about these days is the COVID19 and the vaccine.
How do you decide if the vaccine is the right choice for
you and which vaccine do you get?
Even
if you haven’t been affected directly by COVID19, chances are
someone around you has. It
affects everyone differently and there are so many different
symptoms, it can be confusing. Some people have stomach and GI symptoms only. Some end up in the hospital on a ventilator. How do you know how it will affect you? Some people are asymptomatic carriers.
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We
don’t know ahead of time how someone will do with the virus. You may be an asymptomatic carrier and not get sick. If that is the case, you won’t know you are a carrier and
may go to the store and give it to the cashier.
You may go to work and give it to your coworkers who in
turn give it to their elderly grandparents. They might
give it to a teacher or an entire classroom. Or, you might be the person who ends up in the hospital and
doesn’t do well at all with it.
The
recommendations on the healthcare forums and the state health
departments I am a part of are recommending the vaccine to anyone
who is eligible and willing to get it. The latest numbers show if we can get 65-85% of the nation
vaccinated, we may be able to get a handle on this virus.
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The
groups who need to do more research, make an informed decision,
and check with their healthcare providers prior to getting the
vaccine are people with autoimmune disease, people undergoing
chemotherapy, anyone with a history of vaccine reaction, or anyone
with severe allergies.
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For
the rest of the population, the vaccine is recommended.
Yes, there are possible side effects. More side effects are being reported with the second dose.
This has typically been fever and fatigue for 12-48 hours.
If you feel like this after a vaccine, can you imagine how
you will feel with the actual virus?
If
you had COVID19, you can still get the vaccine.
One recommendation is to wait 3 months to get the vaccine.
Check with your healthcare provider for your specific case.
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I
had the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
I had mild arm soreness for 2 days.
My arm was less sore than my tetanus shot (TDAP) in
September, after that vaccine, my arm was much more sore for 5
days. My office staff
had the Moderna vaccine this past week and so far, arm soreness
was reported with no one reporting a fever or fatigue at this
point. We will keep
you posted on the second dose.
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Why
did I get the vaccine? I
have family members who are in the high risk group. I go into work all week
long and go to surgery centers and the hospital. I see patients who forgot to mention until the end of their
appointment that they were exposed last weekend at a nursing home
or a church even though we screen them. I see patients who don’t choose to wear masks unless they
are in a medical office. I
want to protect my kid’s teachers when they are able to go back
to school. I want to
protect my 90 year old patients who have only gone out in the past
6 months for a medical appointment. I want to keep my small business open and allow my
employees to get a paycheck. I
want to protect my neighbors.
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Here
are some good resources for doing your own research. Think about the big picture and the amount of people you
come into contact with before you decide.
Contact
me if you have more questions.
Thank
you,
Amanda
Westfall McCarty
akwestfall@gmail.com
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