▲ Jonathan Broderick
Is it safe to get the vaccine if I’m pregnant or nursing?
If I think I’ve been exposed to COVID-19 or may have had COVID-19, can I still get the vaccine? People who have had COVID 19 will develop a little bit of immunity from the infection, but it is still recommended as of now that they receive a standard vaccination series. If you suspect you have COVID 19, you should call 811 and follow directions to get tested.
elderly is the highest risk group, so it is imperative that this population receives vaccines.
Although there hasn’t been extensive study into the effectiveness and safety of COVID vaccines in pregnant and nursing mothers, we do know that the risk of serious complications of COVID for pregnant women is much higher than women who are not. It is important to discuss this with your primary healthcare provider. Are there any chronic illnesses or conditions that prevent me from getting the vaccine? Most chronic illness is linked to a much higher mortality rate from COVID infections. It is very important for this population to receive a COVID vaccine, as their risk of complications is much higher. There may be certain allergies, conditions etc. where this may not apply, so it is always important to speak with your health care provider about your specific situation.
Will I need a COVID-19 vaccine every year?
That is a very good question, and unfortunately no one is sure of that answer yet. There are several factors that would go into those decisions. How long does the vaccine series provide immunity? do new variants continue to emerge? Have we vaccinated enough of the population to create herd immunity? There is a lot of moving parts to account for in these decisions, but the thought of having COVID 19 and vaccine boosters a part of our lives for the foreseeable future seems likely to some degree, but there are still a lot of unknowns.
Do the current vaccines protect against the new variants?
This is ever changing with new information daily on both new variants and vaccine effectiveness against these variants. As of now, there is coverage from vaccinations against most if not all variants, but the degree of coverage may vary. It is important to always follow the most current information from our public health office as well as Health Canada and NACI (National Advisory Committee on Immunizations)
Is the vaccine safe for my children under five or senior family members?
How many vaccine doses do I need?
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Most COVID vaccines require two doses, except one that is a single shot. Usually, these doses are separated by 4-12 weeks, but those timelines can vary depending on stock in a particular province. Provincial Public Health offices will make those decisions based on different factors as well.
Studies are underway for children and varying ages to determine safety and effectiveness of these vaccines. Once there is enough data in this population, Health Canada and other health bodies will be making decisions on when these people can receive vaccines. The
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