03/18/2024
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by Charlotte Smith

There have been many debates about the COVID-19 vaccines. Recently health experts have published information to build confidence in the COVID-19 vaccines.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the first COVID-19 vaccines last month.   On Aug. 23, 2021, the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine received full approval by the FDA.

In May 2021, Moderna announced trials had proven their COVID-19 vaccine was safe and effective in children aged 12 to 17. The FDA is currently reviewing the data on the Moderna trials.

In their article “COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: 12 Things You Need to Know,” Johns Hopkins Medicine states that the COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing serious disease, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. The facts and insights about the vaccines are shared by Sherita Hill Golden, M.D., M.H.S.

The information Dr. Golden lists on the Johns Hopkins site may answer some questions about the vaccines. Five of the items mentioned in the expert’s article have been mentioned as concerns during recent local government meetings in Bladen County.

Dr. Golden’s article says the COVID-19 vaccines were created quickly but carefully tested for safety, and side effects are temporary.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), COVID-19 vaccines were developed using science that has been around for decades. COVID-19 vaccines are not experimental. They went through all the required stages of clinical trials. Extensive testing and monitoring have shown that these vaccines are safe and effective. COVID-19 vaccines have received and continue to undergo the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history. The CDC also reports that there’s currently “no evidence that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, cause fertility problems.”

The COVID-19 vaccine adds extra protection for anyone who has already had the virus; according to Dr. Golden, getting vaccinated for COVID-19 helps others in the community and helps prevent variants.

Experts also remind the public after you are fully vaccinated for COVID-19, you can resume many activities that you did before the pandemic.

COVID-19 continues to spread in Bladen County, and related deaths continue to rise. View the latest COVID-19 Update below.

According to the Bladen County Health officials, it is critical that unvaccinated and partially vaccinated people get fully vaccinated. Nearly all COVID-19 cases of severe disease, hospitalization, and death continue to occur among those not fully vaccinated.

The Bladen County Health Department administers COVID-19 vaccines Monday through Friday from 9 am until 4 pm by appointment only. The local health department administers the “booster” (third doses) of Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to those eligible by appointment only. For a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, please call the Bladen County COVID HOTLINE at 910-872-6291. The health department is located at 300 Mercer Mill Road in Elizabethtown.

Resources:

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: 12 Things You Need to Know – https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/covid19-vaccine-hesitancy-12-things-you-need-to-know

Benefits of Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine – https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/vaccine-benefits.html

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