Can I receive the vaccine if I am immunocompromised?
Yes. The COVID-19 vaccine was studied in only a small number of immunocompromised individuals. While it is not expected to be harmful to individuals who are immunocompromised, it may not be as effective in this population. Because each immunocompromised patient can have different health issues, we recommend that immunocompromised individuals discuss the risks and benefits with their primary provider.
Can I receive the vaccine if I have a severe penicillin allergy?
Yes. There is no cross-reactivity between the penicillin antibiotics or any other antibiotics and the vaccine.
I heard this vaccine might make me sterile and I am trying to become pregnant. Is that true?
No. There is no evidence linking either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna mRNA vaccines to infertility.
More detailed answer: Since FDA authorization of these vaccines, information has circulated on the internet that the antigen created by the vaccine (the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein) is similar to another protein that is important for placental attachment (syncytin-1), and that vaccination results in antibodies that target syncytin-1. Neither COVID-19 mRNA vaccines contain syncytin-1, nor does the mRNA used in the vaccines encode for syncytin-1. In addition, the spike protein formed as a result of vaccination with either COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and syncytin-1 are structurally very dissimilar. No data indicates the antibodies formed as a result of COVID-19 mRNA vaccination target syncytin-1.
If a heath care worker (or anyone else) has had COVID-19 and recovered, should they still get vaccinated?
Yes. The vaccination may provide stronger or longer lasting protection than just having beat the vaccine on your own. For that reason, we are recommending that you still receive the vaccine after you have recovered from COVID. However, we also believe that natural immunity may protect someone for around 90 days, so it is also safe to wait.
Are there vaccines for children coming?
Not at this time. The Pfizer vaccine started to include children age 12-16 years in the last 2 months, so we may know more about this population soon, but the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) will not allow for pediatric vaccines.
If I am or might be pregnant, should I get the COVID vaccine?
While the COVID-19 vaccines are safe, the trials did not enroll pregnant people. What we do know is that pregnant people are dying from COVID-19 and are at higher risk of complications. There is not an answer at this point that will fit everyone’s situation. However, most infectious disease physicians, obstetricians and gynecologists recommend pregnant people be considered for the vaccine if they are also in another risk category (healthcare worker for example). This is because pregnant people are at high risk for complications from COVID disease. You should ask your provider before making a decision.
Is the vaccine safe if I am breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding people were not enrolled in the studies, and therefore we do not have definitive data about the safety of the vaccine in this scenario or any impact on lactation. Most infectious disease physicians, obstetricians and gynecologists recommend breastfeeding people be considered for the vaccine if they are also in another risk category (healthcare worker for example). However, we do not have strong data about whether the vaccine may affect breastfeeding, because breastfeeding people were not enrolled in the study. You should ask your provider before making a decision.
Is it recommended to administer the COVID vaccine to any person who has received the flu shot this season?
Yes! You can get both in the same season!
I have heard that the mRNA vaccine was based upon DNA from white persons, so I am worried if the vaccine is right for me. Can you talk about how this vaccine was evaluated?
Yes. Firstly, race is a completely social construct. While individuals may have different ancestral backgrounds, a person’s ancestry may better reflect differences in for example, kidney function than self-identified race/ethnicity. Additionally, mRNA cannot interact with DNA in our cells—they are two entirely different parts of our cells. The mRNA that is in the vaccine is not from any person at all, it is from the virus. This virus does not have any human genetic material in it at all—it is purely viral mRNA and not any human mRNA.
How long after an individual has received another vaccine (i.e., Shingrix, influenza) should the COVID vaccine be administered? There is not much information about the best timing of other vaccines and the COVID vaccine. So right now, we are being very cautious. The recommendation is that the vaccine series should be administered alone, with a minimum interval of 14 days before or after administration with any other vaccine. If mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are inadvertently administered within 14 days of another vaccine, doses do not need to be repeated for either vaccine.
I have severe allergy to latex, and I have to carry an EpiPen. Can I still get a vaccine?
Latex is not a component of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine: "CDC recommends that people with a history of severe allergic reactions not related to vaccines or injectable medications—such as food, pet, venom, environmental, or latex allergies—get vaccinated. People with a history of allergies to oral medications or a family history of severe allergic reactions may also get vaccinated." “If you have had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, you should not get either of the currently available mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. If you had a severe allergic reaction after getting the first dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, CDC recommends that you should not get the second dose."
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