Hi everyone, I'm Dr. Marlene Millen. I'm a primary care internist at UC San Diego Health and I'm
here today to answer your questions about COVID-19 vaccines. Why should you get the COVID-19 vaccine?
The COVID-19 vaccine is one of the protective measures that you can take to protect you and
your family from COVID-19, especially hospitalization and severe illness,
along with wearing a mask and using social distancing if you're ill.
How do COVID-19 vaccines work? COVID-19 vaccines work in a way to make your immune system
see the virus without making you ill, and by doing that you create antibodies, so that when
you see the virus in the future, you don't get as sick. Can you get COVID-19 from the vaccine?
No. The COVID-19 vaccines do not contain any live virus, so they cannot give you COVID-19.
How effective are the new vaccines against the variants of the virus? At this point,
the COVID-19 vaccines are still very effective against serious illness and hospitalizations,
even from the variants of the virus. Can you get COVID-19 if you're fully vaccinated? Yes.
Like all vaccines, the COVID-19 vaccines are not a 100 percent effective at preventing illness.
However, they still remain very effective at preventing serious illness and hospitalization.
What does a breakthrough case mean? A breakthrough case is a person who has contracted COVID-19 after
being fully vaccinated. How long will the COVID-19 vaccine protect you? At this point, it's looking
like about eight months of vaccine protection. It doesn't mean it stops at the end of eight months,
though. It just may slowly decrease over time. It's really important though that
you continue wearing a mask to protect yourself and your family if you're in public places or in
areas where people may not be vaccinated. What is the difference between a third dose and a booster?
A third dose is used for those whose immune systems are weakened
and the original vaccine series may not create a robust immune response. A booster is used for
those with normal immune systems at the point when immunity may be waning from the original vaccine.
Who should get the COVID-19 additional dose? At this point, those who should get an additional
dose or those who are immune-suppressed, including those who have a transplant or are on
immune-suppressive medications, and definitely speak with your doctor if you're unsure.
Where should you get your third dose of COVID vaccine or a booster? If you qualify,
you should check with your local pharmacy or your county or state websites for locations.
You can also check with your health care provider. Will you need to get a booster shot every year?
At this point, we don't know for sure but it's looking like the immunity for the COVID
vaccine does wane. And if COVID-19 becomes a seasonal illness this may be the case. When
can you get your booster dose? You can get your booster dose when the CDC guidelines indicate
that it's your turn, and you should check with your physician also if you have any questions.
Do you need to get the same vaccine type as the original vaccine that you received? Generally yes,
it is recommended that you get the same vaccine. However, in certain instances when it's not
available it is OK to receive a different booster. What are the benefits of getting the booster shot?
The benefits of getting a booster shot is to improve your immunity and help protect against
serious illness and hospitalizations from COVID-19 virus. Are there side effects of the booster dose?
Yes, you likely will have similar side effects to what you had with the second dose of the MRNA
vaccine or your Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Can you get the vaccine if you've already had COVID-19?
Yes, you should definitely get the vaccine. You can check with your doctor on the timing however,
especially if you've received a monoclonal antibody. Can you get the COVID-19 vaccine and the
flu vaccine on the same day? Yes, at this point is very safe to get them both on the same day.
Can the COVID-19 vaccine cause infertility? No. There's been a rumor going around that COVID-19
vaccines can cause infertility and that is not true. There's been studies that show
that the COVID-19 vaccine doesn't have these issues, and see the link below for more
information on this data. Should pregnant women get the COVID-19 vaccine? Absolutely. COVID-19
disease in pregnancy causes severe illness for some women and can lead to hospitalization.
It's very important that if you're concerned, you talk with your doctor about the COVID-19 vaccine,
but it is safe to get during pregnancy. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and if for some
reason you haven't received your vaccine yet, please talk with your doctor about your concerns.