HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS DR. TODD ELLERIN, CHIEF OF
INFECTIOUS DISEASES AT SOUTH SHORE HEALTH.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
BEN: A LOT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST 48 HOURS, AND HEARING BLOOD
CLOTS IN THE SAME SENTENCE AS VACCINE IS VERY SCARY FOR A LO
OF PEOPLE.
WE KNOW THE RISK IS VERY LOW, LOWER PERHAPS THAN ONE IN ONE
MILLION, WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT THE POTENTIAL
RISK?
>> I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW IT IS EXTREMELY RARE.
WHAT WE ARE LEARNING FROM NEW STUDIES OUT OF T U.K.,
ALTHOUGH THESE HAVE NOT BEEN PEER-REVIEWED, THE RISK OF
COVID-19 INDUCED RAIN CLOTS IS ACTUALLY EIGHT TO 10 HYMAN --
TIMES HIGHER THAN THOSE FROM VACCINES THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN IN
EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES.
I THINK THAT STILL, THE BENEFITS FAR OUTWEIGH THE RISKS AM I ALSO
WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THE FACT THAT THE FDA AND CDC HAVE A
SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM IN PLACE THAT CAN CATCH ARREAR SIDE
EFFECTS AT A RATE OF ONE IN ONE MILLION, IS REALLY A TESTIMONY
TO HOW WE PRIORITIZE SAFETY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
ERIKA: WE HAVE BEEN HEARING THAT.
AGAIN, GIVEN HOW EXTREMELY LOW THIS RISK IS, WHY DID THE CDC
REACT IN SUCH A DRAMATIC WAY.
ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT PERHAPS PEOPLE MAY NEVER AGREE TO TAKE
THIS SHOT BECAUSE OF ALL OF THIS?
>> OF COURSE.
THIS COULD AFFECT VACCINE HESITANCY AND THERE MAY BE
PEOPLE THAT UNFORTUNATELY NEVER WANT TO GET THE VACCINE, BUT I
THINK THE IMPORTANT PART IS THAT THE FDA AND CDC SAW THAT THERE
WERE SOME CLOTS AFTE VACCINE FROM THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON
VACCINE AND HAVING THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THIS SOMEWHAT MIRRORS WHAT
WE HAVE SEEN AFTER RARELY, AFTER TH ASTRAZENECA VACCINE, KNOWING
THAT THEY SHARE THE SAME PLATFORM.
I THINK THAT IS WHAT CAME WITH THE SENSE OF URGENCY.
I WANT TO AGAIN REITERATE THAT THE BENEFITS FAR OUTWEIGH THE
RISKS.
BE THE CEO OF PFIZER TODAY SWITCHING GEARS TO ANOTHER
VACCINE, SAID THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE EVERYBODY BEING
VACCINATED NOW MADE -- MAY NEED A BOOSTER SHOT.
WHAT IS THE REASONING BEHIND THAT AND ARE YOU SURPRISED?
HE MAY BE RIGHT ABOUT THAT.
REMEMBER, THIS VIRUS, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT GOES UNCHECKED AND IS
REPLICATING THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, THE FACT THAT MANY AND
MOST COUNTRIES SO FAR HAVE ACTUALLY NOT BEGUN VACCINATING
THEIR POPULATION AND THAT MOST OF THE WORLD PROBABLY WON’T BE
FULLY VACCINATED FOR A FEW YEARS.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS IS A SET UP FOR THE FACT THAT WHILE THIS IS
A PANDEMIC, IT WILL LIKELY MEAN -- BE ENDEMIC, MEANI SEASONAL
IN MANY PLACES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
BECAUSE OF ALL OF THESE VARIANTS FORMING, IT LIKELY WILL LOOK
MORE LIKE INFLUENZA.
WILL WE NEED A BOOSTER EVERY YEAR VERSUS EVERY TWO OR THREE
YEARS, THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN, BUT I THINK THAT IS A GOOD BIT
-- BET THAT WE WILL HAVE TO BOOSTER AT SOME POINT.
ERIK WE DID WANT TO OFFER OUR CONDOLENCES.
WE KNOW YOU LOST AN IMPORTANT ALLY IN THIS BATTLE.
DR. FRANCISCO MARTY, AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST AT
BRIGHAM AND WOMEN’S HOSPITAL, DIED IN A FALL WHILE IN THE
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.
WE KNOW YOU KNEW HIM PERSONALLY.
>> DR. MARTY WAS AN INSECT -- EXCEPTIONAL INFECTIOUS DISEASE
PHYSICIAN.
AS YOU CAN SEE, HE WAS ONLY IN HIS EARLY 50’S.
HE WAS A SIMILAR AGE TO US.
HE WAS AN INCREDIBLE TEACHER, HAD A BRILLIANT MIND AND
UNBELIEVABLE WORK ETHIC.
IT IS UNBELIEVABLE.
EVERY WEEK, HE USED TO COME TO ME, WE WOULD SEE EACH OTHER IN
MONDAY’S AND HE WOULD SAY IN TODD, WE TRUST.
IT IS REALLY DR. MARTY WE ALL TRUSTED AND HE IS GOING TO BE
SORELY MISSED.
BE OUR THO