More than 6.7 million people in the United States have received one dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine [1]. Of these millions, only 115,000 people have received both doses [1]. Without both doses, efficacy is significantly stunted. While the Pfizer vaccine is 95% effective after the second dose, it is only 52% effective following the first [2]. Combined with the slower-than-expected vaccine rollout in the United States, it is clear that the novel coronavirus will remain a challenge for a while longer. Regardless, given the climbing number of daily vaccinations, it is essential to consider what life will look like following COVID-19 vaccination.
In the days following vaccination, patients may experience a wide range of side effects. The most common side effects include pain and swelling at the administration site or flu-like symptoms (including fever, chills, tiredness, and headache) [3]. These symptoms ought to subside within a couple of days. If symptoms linger, or if the side effects become worrying in any way, patients should follow up with their physician [3]. More rare side effects reportedly include swollen lymph nodes, Bell’s palsy, and anaphylaxis [2]. To prevent anaphylaxis, patients with severe allergic reactions to any of the ingredients in a vaccine should not receive it, but patients with other, unrelated allergies are not at any particular risk [2]. As for the other side effects, the probability that a vaccine recipient will experience them is very low and should not be a deterrent to receiving the vaccine [2]. The vaccines that are currently approved in the US do not contain live virus and cannot cause COVID-19 in vaccine recipients[4].
During the post-vaccination period, it is also important for patients to note that immunity is not immediate. The CDC estimates that patients may have to wait up to two weeks following the second shot to experience maximum immunity [3]. Moderna and Pfizer’s 95% efficiency statistic came from measurements taken 7 days and 14 days after the second dose, respectively [4, 5]. Accordingly, it is not safe for vaccinated people to stop taking the necessary precautions following a vaccination, especially in the period from the first dose to two weeks following the second dose.
Even when a patient has passed the two-week threshold following the second vaccination, mask-wearing, avoidance of crowds, and social distancing should still occur. First, vaccination is not a guarantee of immunity because no vaccine is 100% effective [4]. Additionally, the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine primarily prevent symptomatic infections [4]. Their efficacy against asymptomatic infections is unknown, so vaccine recipients may still be able to contract COVID-19 and spread it to others [4]. Lastly, vaccines may decrease in efficacy over time as the virus mutates or protection fades [4]. Because little is known about when that decrease in efficacy may occur, communities need to continue to act cautiously.
Until we achieve herd immunity, defined as the point when 70% to 85% of the population is immune to the virus, it will still be dangerous to go out without a mask and social distance [5]. Although the vaccine may make it safer for people to resume certain activities and meet with their loved ones, scientists estimate that we may not see massive societal changes until at least the second quarter of 2021 [6].
References
[1] The New York Times, “See How the Vaccine Rollout Is Going in Your State,” The New York Times, Updated January 8, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/covid-19-vaccine-doses.html.
[2] R. Nania, “What Are the Side Effects of COVID-19 Vaccines?,” AARP, Updated December 21, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2020/coronavirus-vaccine-side-effects/.
[3] CDC, “After Getting the Vaccine,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Updated December 19, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/expect/after.html.
[4] E. Levenson, “Yes, you can still get infected with Covid-19 after being vaccinated. Here’s why,” CNN Health, Updated January 8, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/08/health/covid-vaccinated-infected-wellness/index.html.
[5] E. Woodruff, “How does life change after coronavirus vaccination? Here’s what happens after the second shot,” Nola, Updated January 6, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.nola.com/news/coronavirus/article_74c183e2-502b-11eb-9403-37f796ecb803.html.
[6] B. Mastroianni, “How Your Life Will (and Won’t) Change After Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine,” Healthline, Updated December 20, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.healthline.com/health-news/how-your-life-will-and-wont-change-after-getting-the-covid-19-vaccine.
