Page 5 - 2021 Winter CMTA Report

where you received it. You by the virus itself. Health offi- FOR MORE INFORMATION about
should receive a paper or elec- cials will investigate each event
the COVID-19 vaccine and CMT,
tronic version of a fact sheet that to see if it’s simply coincidence—
tells you more about the specific or if it could have been caused go to www.cmtausa.org/covid.
COVID-19 vaccine you are being by the vaccine. While everyone
offered. Each authorized COVID- should be prepared to hear
19 vaccine has its own fact sheet about these reports, they should immune response in older peo-
that contains information to help not be a cause for worry or ple, it’s possible that one of the
you understand the risks and prompt you to delay getting the new vaccines could emerge as a
benefits of receiving that specific vaccine. Your risk of severe com- better option for this age group.
vaccine. plications from COVID-19 is far It’s just far too soon to know.
higher than your risk of compli-
What if I forget to get the cations from the vaccine. Will these vaccines put a dent
second dose on time? in the epidemic?
Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and I’ve had COVID-19 already. The coronavirus vaccines will be
Moderna vaccines have two Do I need the vaccine? much less effective at preventing
doses, with the booster shot It’s safe, and probably even bene- death and illness in 2021 if they
coming a few weeks after the ficial, for anyone who has had are introduced into a population
first. Pfizer-BioNTech’s second COVID to get the vaccine at some where the virus is raging—as is
dose comes three weeks after the point, experts said. Although peo- now the case in the U.S. A vac-
first, and Moderna’s comes four ple who have contracted the virus cine that’s 95 percent effective,
weeks later. The second dose do have immunity, it is too soon as Moderna’s and Pfizer’s ver-
provides a potent boost that to know how long it lasts. So for sions appear to be, is a powerful
gives people strong, long-lasting now, it makes sense for them to fire hose. But the size of a fire is
immunity. If for some reason get the shot. The question is still a bigger determinant of how
you fail to get the second shot when. Some members of the CDC much destruction occurs.
precisely three weeks after the advisory committee have sug- According to the authors of a
first, you don’t have to start all gested people who have had paper in the journal Health
over again with another two- COVID in the past 90 days should Affairs, at the current level of
dose regimen. be toward the back of the line. infection in the U.S. (about
200,000 confirmed new infec-
What will happen if serious Will the vaccine work on tions per day), a vaccine that is
side effects crop up after the older people? 95 percent effective—distributed
vaccine is rolled out? All the evidence so far suggests at the expected pace—would still
Once a vaccine starts to reach that the answer is yes. The clini- not be enough to end the terrible
large numbers of people, it’s cal trials for the two leading toll of the virus in the six months
possible (and not uncommon) vaccines have shown that they after it was introduced. Almost
for a small number of severe work about the same in older 10 million or so Americans
“adverse events” to occur. Many people as younger people. As the would contract the virus, and
existing vaccines, including the vaccines get distributed, the vac- more than 160,000 would die.
flu shot, also can cause rare cine makers and the CDC will Measures that reduce the virus’s
complications, including Guil- continue to monitor the effec- spread—like mask-wearing,
lain-Barré syndrome, seizures tiveness of the vaccine in people social distancing and rapid-
and sudden unexplained death. 65 and older who, because of result testing—can still have
While this sounds frightening, age-related changes in their profound effects. Public health
the risk is minuscule when con- immune systems, often don’t officials hope that people will
sidered over the millions of respond as well to vaccination as continue to take these precau-
people who are safely vaccinated younger people do. But just as tions at least until the country
each year, and some of these certain flu vaccines have been reaches a vaccination rate of 70
complications can be triggered developed to evoke a stronger to 75 percent. k

DISCLAIMER: Nothing shared on these pages should be construed or is intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment. It should not
be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider. Should you have any emergency questions or concerns,
please contact your physician or health care provider immediately. Always consult with your physician or other health care provider to gain
clarification regarding any health care related questions. This content was sourced from the CDC, the CMTA Scientific Advisory Board, the
Muscular Dystrophy Association and the New York Times.

WINTER 2021 THE CMTA REPORT 5