When we thought all was going to be fine, we are hit by another wave of covid-19, As an health worker, I had to bring up frequently asked questions at the health centre. Please go through them, we will overcome the virus.
When I sign up for a vaccination on the public services portal, can I choose which vaccine I will be vaccinated with?
The decision about which vaccine to vaccinate should be made on the advice of a doctor. It is important to inform the doctor correctly, especially if you know that you have chronic ailments, belonging to a risk group, or allergic reactions.
The ideal option is when the doctor has a choice of vaccines in the vaccination office, and he can, based on the patient's age, data on concomitant diseases and allergic history, make a choice in favor of one or another drug. Now, unfortunately, many specialists do not have a choice, because wide supplies of EpiVacCorona and our third vaccine, KoviVac, are just beginning from the Chumakov Center. Therefore, the doctor decides whether the vaccine that is currently available is suitable for the person, or recommends postponing the vaccination, waiting for another drug. By summer, all three vaccines will be produced in total in the amount of 20-25 million doses per month. Then there will be a real choice.
If a person has been ill with COVID-19, he becomes immune to the disease. Maybe it's better to be ill than vaccinated?
After a disease, immunity is the same as after vaccination. But the point is that you shouldn't risk it that way. Even young people sometimes get sick with COVID-19 very seriously, not to mention the elderly who were affected.
On the other hand, now more and more data is being collected about postcoid syndrome, and even from those who were mildly ill. For more than six months, some patients have noted symptoms that indicate disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system, they still have problems with the psychoemotional sphere, people complain of hair loss, which is especially unpleasant for women. This is not to mention the consequences for the lungs, heart, and other vital organs. Therefore, it is better not to experiment, not to risk health, but to get vaccinated.
It must be remembered that the immunity acquired as a result of the disease does not always protect against re-infection. We observe cases when people, especially aged people, get sick much more severely for the second time.
What is the advantage of immunity acquired after vaccination?
Even if suddenly you belong to that insignificant number of people whose post-vaccination immunity will not be one hundred percent protective, and it happens that you still get infected, you are guaranteed not to die. In vaccinated people, the disease is much easier. This is the same situation as with the flu.
I have had a mild case of COVID-19. Can I get vaccinated now or is it better to postpone?
You can be vaccinated, it will not harm your health. In this case, you can first take a test for the presence of antibodies and assess their level. If it is higher than the reference value indicated in the result, then the body is protected from infection and you can wait with vaccination. If the result is negative, there are no antibodies - you need to be vaccinated.
How often should the antibody level be checked after suffering COVID-19?
After a confirmed illness, it is advisable to check the antibody level after about six months. It does not make sense to do this more often, no matter how much some private laboratories are campaigning for frequent screening.
Can you name the benefits of the EpiVacCorona vaccine?
It is a peptide vaccine and this type of vaccine is considered the least reactogenic. That is, the vaccination is very easily tolerated, with practically no side effects. Therefore, by the way, "EpiVacCorona" is recommended for the elderly as well - it has no upper age limit. It is also suitable for people with chronic ailments - it is no secret that health problems accumulate with age. A separate study involving volunteers over 60 years old showed that the vaccine works for them, there is an immune response. And no one had unpleasant consequences.
Is EpiVacCorona suitable for the elderly and how to prepare for vaccination
According to the "Vector" center, in 20 thousand people who have already been vaccinated with this vaccine, only a few people, literally isolated cases, had a slight hyperemia (swelling) at the injection site. This vaccine has such a composition that it acts very mildly on the immune system, does not overload it.
The general answer is this. If a person has a chronic disease, such as hypertension, diabetes, he should be monitored by a doctor and take appropriate medications on a continuous basis. That is, the disease does not go away. But it must be in remission - under control. In hypertensive patients, blood pressure stabilizes. In a diabetic, accordingly, the glucose level should be normal - all this can be achieved. In such a calm situation, vaccination can and should be done.
You cannot be vaccinated if you have some kind of acute illness or exacerbation of a chronic one. Cancer patients should definitely consult with an oncologist.
The vaccinated, even if they happen to get sick, COVID-19 proceeds easily
How long does it take to get the vaccine after stabilization?
After a slight malaise (cold, ARVI), a week or two is enough. If the infectious disease was more severe, for example the flu or a serious intestinal infection, then it is better to take a month for the body to recover. As for allergy sufferers, the main thing is that there is no allergy to the components of the vaccine, in particular for EpiVacCorona, as well as for other vaccines, it is aluminum hydroxide.
If a person has been vaccinated for the first time, but has contracted the coronavirus, does he need to be vaccinated after recovery?
There are people on whom the vaccine does not work. This is a general rule for all vaccines, both domestic and foreign. Therefore, the risk of getting sick after vaccination, albeit small, is still there. But the disease will be mild. Full protection is formed approximately three weeks after the second vaccination. Therefore, we recommend that you be very careful between the first and second dose. But if a person stops taking precautions, then there is a risk of infection. What to do? Get treated. And after recovery, you need to check the level of antibodies in 10-15 days. If it is high, you can wait, and when the antibodies are no longer detected, you need to repeat the two-fold vaccination cycle.
