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Idaho health official answers public’s questions about COVID-19 vaccines

Sarah Leeds, immunization program manager for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare answered frequently asked questions about the new vaccines.

BOISE, Idaho — A majority of this week’s 13,650 Pfizer vaccine doses still haven't arrived in Idaho, but are expected to arrive by Thursday or Friday.

With the vaccines being so new, many people have questions, so the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare hosted a live stream on its Facebook page to address concerns.

Sarah Leeds, manager for Health and Welfare's Idaho Immunization Program answered the most frequently asked questions they are seeing as the vaccine is rolled out. 

WHEN CAN PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF PRIORITY GROUPS WITH HIGH-RISK HEALTH CONDITIONS GET THE VACCINE?

“It will depend on what region you are in and how fast people are choosing to get vaccinated and the doses that are available,” Leeds said  “So those variables are what will impact when the general public and maybe people with high-risk health conditions will get vaccinated.”

HAVE THEY REALLY GONE THROUGH ALL THE TESTS NEEDED TO ENSURE THE VACCINE IS SAFE?

“Corners were not cut,” Leeds said. “There were several things that happen in vaccine clinical trials, and typically manufacturing of the vaccine does not happen at a large scale until those clinical trials have been passed, but because of this public health emergency, manufacturing happened simultaneously.”

WHAT SIDE EFFECTS CAN I EXPECT WHEN I GET THE VACCINE?

“Those include headache, maybe a mild fever, and also some general body aches,” Leeds said.

Just like the Pfizer vaccine, Idaho public health districts are expecting the Moderna vaccine to receive an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration, which could be as soon as this weekend.

SINCE THE MODERNA VACCINE IS EXPECTED TO BE SHIPPED IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WILL WE HAVE A CHOICE BETWEEN PFIZER AND MODERNA?

“Depending on what provider you go to, there may not be a choice, but again, that could change,” Leeds said.

All of this information is subject to change as more health systems receive their allotted doses of vaccine, but one thing that has not changed is the science behind masks, even after you eventually receive a vaccine.

“We are still recommending that folks who have both doses continue to wear the mask until we know whether you can still transmit it even though you’re immune,” Leeds added. “So masks are going to be a part of our world for at least the near future.”

The State of Idaho is not requiring anyone to get vaccinated, but experts say most people will need to get vaccinated to achieve ‘herd immunity’.

The Mayo Clinic, one of the most credible and respected academic medical centers in the world, says that 70% of the U.S. population - over 200 million Americans - would have to recover from COVID-19 to achieve herd immunity.

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