Do the vaccines protect against variants?
The COVID-19 vaccines are expected to provide at least some protection against new virus variants and are effective at preventing serious illness and death. That’s because these vaccines create a broad immune response, and any virus changes or mutations should not make vaccines completely ineffective. If any of these vaccines become less effective against one or more variants, it will be possible to change the composition of the vaccines to protect against these variants. Data continues to be collected and analysed on new variants of the COVID-19 virus.
While we are learning more, we need to do everything possible to stop the spread of the virus in order to prevent mutations that may reduce the efficacy of existing vaccines. This means staying at least 1 metre away from others, covering a cough or sneeze in your elbow, frequently cleaning your hands, wearing a mask and avoiding poorly ventilated rooms or opening a window.
Is the vaccine safe for children?
Vaccines are usually tested in adults first, to avoid exposing children who are still developing and growing. COVID-19 has also been a more serious and dangerous disease among older populations. Now that the vaccines have been determined to be safe for adults, they are being studied in children. Once those studies have been completed, we should know more and guidelines will be developed. In the meantime, make sure children continue to physical distance from others, clean their hands frequently, sneeze and cough into their elbow and wear a mask if age appropriate.
Should I be vaccinated if I have had COVID-19?
Even if you have already had COVID-19, you should be vaccinated when it is offered to you. The protection that someone gains from having COVID-19 will vary from person to person, and we also don’t know how long natural immunity might last.
Can the COVID-19 vaccine cause a positive test result for the disease, such as for a PCR or antigen test?
No, the COVID-19 vaccine will not cause a positive test result for a COVID-19 PCR or antigen laboratory test. This is because the tests check for active disease and not whether an individual is immune or not. However, because the COVID-19 vaccine prompts an immune response, it may be possible to test positive in an antibody (serology) test that measures COVID-19 immunity in an individual.
Post time: May-04-2021