Myths, Masks, and Mutations

By Elizabeth Morse Read

Just when we all think that the coronavirus crisis has turned the proverbial corner, some new monkey wrench gets thrown into the works. First, we started the new year anxiously waiting for the “grand plan” for vaccine distribution to kick in nationwide – only to find out after the Biden inauguration that there’d been no vaccine distribution plan left behind, grand nor small. Then the states all scrambled to create seat-of-the-pants plans to vaccinate the elderly and front-line workers, only to discover that the federal supplies of the vaccines were going missing (or mislaid) between points A and B. Sign-up websites crashed, appointments were cancelled, elderly people waited hours in long lines for a limited supply of vaccinations. Hospitals and local medical centers initially had the largest supplies of vaccines, but then mass vaccination sites were created. And then came the mutations…

How do we beat the mutations?

It is critical to vaccinate as many people as possible as quickly as possible – even with only a first dose – if we are to avoid the threat of viral mutations. We also need to continue practicing the public health hygiene measures of wearing a mask, keeping social distance, washing hands frequently and avoiding crowds, especially indoors.

Remember – a virus cannot mutate if it cannot find a host (an unprotected person) to infect, so get any vaccine you can as soon as possible. It is especially important that people who have recovered from a Covid-19 infection get vaccinated, too, as they may be particularly vulnerable to re-infection by a variant strain of the original virus.

As new mutations keep cropping up, it might seem as if we’re fighting a never-ending game of whack-a-mole. But vaccine manufacturers are already tweaking current vaccines and developing “booster” shots that will specifically address emerging mutations. Perhaps, like the flu vaccine that changes every year, Covid-19 vaccines will need to be administered on an annual basis to everyone around the globe.

Which vaccine is the “best”?

There will soon be five approved vaccines available in the US: Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson (J&J), Oxford/ AstraZeneca, and Novavax. Not only will having such an arsenal of vaccines save more lives, but it will also relieve the crippling burden on our nation’s healthcare system and frontline medical workers.

New information floods in every day about different vaccines as studies are ongoing, even after a vaccine has been approved by the FDA. For instance, all vaccines will prevent severe illness, but some may also prevent transmission of the virus itself. One vaccine might be very good at evading the UK mutation, but another may not be as effective in fighting the South African mutation.

So far, the J&J vaccine is the only onedose vaccine that requires only normal refrigeration, making it much easier to transport, distribute, and administer in remote or rural locations. J&J is studying the possibility of a second booster shot to raise its 85% effectiveness rate, but people who receive the single J&J shot can always receive a later Moderna or Pfizer booster shot to achieve a higher result. As this crisis is so new, it’s an on-going process figuring out which scenarios are optimal.

But don’t get caught up in the percentages when it’s your turn to get a vaccination. It’s not so important whether a vaccine prevents you from becoming infected as it is that a vaccine prevents you from developing severe illness leading to hospitalization and possibly death. The great majority of people who contract/ test positive for Covid-19 suffer either no symptoms at all (asymptomatic – but still contagious!) or else only minor symptoms that can be managed at home in isolation.

No vaccine (yet) can guarantee that a person will never get infected with a virus or its latest mutation, but all vaccines will do a really good job of keeping you out of the hospital – and that’s what’s important. Take whatever Covid-19 vaccination is available when your time comes – you can always get a booster shot later on for added protection.

Once I’ve recovered from Covid-19, I’m immune forever, right?

Wrong. Scientists don’t yet know how robust an immune response your body mounts after an infection, nor do they know how long the immunity lasts. Someone who’s recovered from a Covid-19 infection may be at risk of becoming re-infected with a whole new mutant strain of virus, so it is better to receive a “booster” dose vaccination after recovering. Discuss it with your health care professional.

Do we need to wear masks after being vaccinated?

Yes, you do – your vaccination may protect you against 95% risk of severe infection, but there’s still that 5% chance that you could become an asymptomatic carrier capable of infecting other people. Mask-wearing is very common year-round in the Far East, considered a common courtesy so as not to spread colds, flus, and other diseases to one’s fellow citizens. Not surprisingly, mask-wearing as a new phenomenon in the US because of Covid- 19, resulted in a whopping 98% drop in flu hospitalizations in 2020.

So – is it worth it to get vaccinated?

While it’s still not completely understood whether the vaccines prevent asymptomatic or minor infection with the virus, it’s loud-and-clear that they all prevent severe infections that would lead to hospitalizations and deaths.

It’s true that getting a Covid-19 vaccine can cause minor side effects or even a rare severe allergic reaction, but consider this: of the hundreds of thousands of people who have received the vaccines, whether during clinical trials or since FDA approval, not one of those people has died of Covid-19. Seems like a pretty good trade-off, wouldn’t you say?

Who? What? When? Where? How?

For information about your vaccination eligibility and availability anywhere in the US, go to CNN.com/health and scroll down to the subhead “Here’s where to find vaccine info in your state.”

To find out when and where you can make an appointment to get the vaccine in Rhode Island, call 401-222-8022 or go to RIDOH.Covid19Questions@health.ri.gov or covid.ri.gov/vaccination.

In Massachusetts, you can find out when you’ll be eligible for your shot by visiting mass.gov/info-details/when-can-I-get-the-covid-19-vaccination. To locate a vaccination site in your neighborhood or zip code and to schedule an appointment online, go to mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-vaccinations. If you don’t have internet access and want to schedule an appointment, you can call 2-1-1- or 877-211-6277 or contact your local Council on Aging for assistance.