Have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine? See answers to the most commonly asked questions in this latest blog post. Also, be sure to ask your doctor about any questions you might have as the answers provided are not always specific to your personal health status and needs.

Is there a difference between COVID-19 vaccine dose one and two?

Both Pfizer and Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines require two shots to reach the maximum level of protection against the virus. Are the two doses different?

The first dose and second dose of your Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine should be exactly the same, both chemically and from a dosage standpoint.

The function of dose one is that of a primer.

"It gets (the immune system) ready and gets it started, making antibodies and producing that immune response, Then, the second dose which again, in the syringe is identical -- but it is a booster. It boosts your immune system's response to more significantly produce antibodies."

In the studies for Pfizer’s vaccine, the first shot seemed to be about 52% effective in preventing COVID. The second shot increased that effectiveness to 95%. Since people got two shots in the studies, we don’t know how effective a single shot would be in the long run or how long it would last. Moderna vaccine can provide 80.2% protection after one dose, compared to 95.6% after the second

The manufacturer only provides one set of instructions, with no difference in directions between dose one and dose two.

Moderna's instructions read: "The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine is administered intramuscularly as a series of two doses (0.5 mL each) 1 month apart."

Pfizer's instructions read: "The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is administered intramuscularly as a series of two doses (0.3 mL each) 3 weeks apart."

Do All Vaccinations in development require two shots

No — but many of them do.

Right now, there are about 230 COVID-19 vaccines being developed around the world. It’s possible that some of those will only require one shot. Studies will need to be done to see which ones (if any) will be effective after just a single dose.

Keep in mind that it’s not uncommon for vaccines to require two, three, or sometimes even four doses in order to be most effective. In fact, this is true for many of the first vaccines given to children, like hepatitis B, diphtheria, and tetanus.

What is ‘herd immunity’?

'Herd immunity', also known as 'population immunity', is the indirect protection from an infectious disease that happens when a population is immune either through vaccination or immunity developed through previous infection. WHO supports achieving 'herd immunity' through vaccination, not by allowing a disease to spread through any segment of the population, as this would result in unnecessary cases and deaths.

Herd immunity against COVID-19 should be achieved by protecting people through vaccination, not by exposing them to the pathogen that causes the disease.

To safely achieve herd immunity against COVID-19, a substantial proportion of a population would need to be vaccinated, lowering the overall amount of virus able to spread in the whole population. One of the aims with working towards herd immunity is to keep vulnerable groups who cannot get vaccinated (e.g., due to health conditions like allergic reactions to the vaccine) safe and protected from the disease.

The proportion of the population that must be vaccinated against COVID-19 to begin inducing herd immunity is not known. This is an important area of research and will likely vary according to the community, the vaccine, the populations prioritized for vaccination, and other factors.

Achieving herd immunity with safe and effective vaccines makes diseases rarer and saves lives.

After I get a COVID-19 vaccine, is it safe to visit in person with friends and family?

After getting a COVID-19 vaccine, it's still important to take safety precautions, such as avoiding close contact with others, to prevent the spread of the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Further research is needed to understand the immunity that a COVID-19 vaccine provides and how long protection lasts before experts will consider changing current safety recommendations.

After you get both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, it takes about two weeks for your body to build up protection. But even then you could become infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Keep in mind that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is 95% effective in preventing the COVID-19 virus. The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is 94.1% effective in preventing the COVID-19 virus. While your risk of getting the COVID-19 virus after being vaccinated is low, it is possible.

It's also not clear if the COVID-19 vaccines reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. As a result, it's not known if a person who is vaccinated could be a carrier of the COVID-19 virus and spread it to others, even if he or she doesn't become sick. More research is needed to determine if you are still contagious after being vaccinated.

Because of these factors, even once you're vaccinated you could still pose a health risk to unvaccinated family and friends by visiting with them in person. The risks of serious illness from COVID-19 are highest for people who are older. Nursing home residents are at high risk because they often have multiple underlying health problems, combined with advanced age.

Even after getting the COVID-19 vaccine, continue to follow safety precautions and consider avoiding in-person visits with friends and family until more is known about the immunity the vaccines provide. If you choose to have in-person visits, remember to keep distance between yourself and others (within about 6 feet, or 2 meters). Wear a mask. Visit outdoors, when possible, or open windows and doors to make sure the space is well-ventilated. And wash your hands often.

The pandemic has been difficult on everyone, especially the elderly. If you are concerned about the wellbeing of a family member due to the consequences of the pandemic, contact us today. Our home care options can help bring some normalcy and assistance during these difficult times.