Feature Article: Answering Your Questions About COVID-19 Vaccines
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Parents PACKVaccines that protect against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are being developed at unprecedented speed. In addition to adjusting to an ever-changing daily life, many people have questions about the vaccines, especially with two vaccines on the cusp of approval.
Recently, we sat down with Dr. Paul Offit, Director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (VEC), for answers to some of the most common questions about COVID-19 vaccines. The video interview covered the following topics:
- Why Is It Important to Get the Flu Vaccine During the COVID-19 Pandemic?
- How Do mRNA Vaccines Work?
- How Will We Know That a COVID-19 Vaccine Is Safe?
- Are Reinfections with COVID-19 Possible?
- Why Will We Still Need to Wear Masks and Social Distance after a COVID-19 Vaccine Becomes Available?
- Why Aren’t COVID-19 Vaccines Being Tested in Children?
- How Do DNA Vaccines Work?
- What Is the Difference Between a Vaccine Clinical Trial and a Vaccine Challenge Study?
The videos are also available on the Vaccine Education Center video page and in a YouTube playlist.
The VEC also has a dedicated webpage for answering questions related to COVID-19 and vaccines. COVIDVaccineAnswers.org has several sections, including COVID-19 vaccines, COVID-19 vaccine studies, COVID-19 vaccine availability, COVID-19 vaccine safety, COVID-19 vaccine news and COVID-19 video resources. The page is updated regularly, and to date, almost 50 questions have been answered. New questions are added as they arise. Examples of some questions addressed on the page include:
- If you had the virus and recovered will you still be able, or need, to get the vaccine?
- How many doses of a COVID-19 vaccine will be needed?
- How will we know if a COVID-19 vaccine is safe?
- Can mRNA vaccines change the DNA of a person?
- If a person is vaccinated against COVID-19, will they still be able to spread the virus to susceptible people?
- Once I have been vaccinated against coronavirus, am I exempt from lockdown restrictions?
- Who will get the vaccine first?
If you do not see your question, you can submit it to the VEC using an online form on the COVIDVaccineAnswers.org page.
Categories: Parents PACK December 2020, Feature Article
Materials in this section are updated as new information and vaccines become available. The Vaccine Education Center staff regularly reviews materials for accuracy.
You should not consider the information in this site to be specific, professional medical advice for your personal health or for your family's personal health. You should not use it to replace any relationship with a physician or other qualified healthcare professional. For medical concerns, including decisions about vaccinations, medications and other treatments, you should always consult your physician or, in serious cases, seek immediate assistance from emergency personnel.