Vaccination is an important step on the path out of the COVID-19
pandemic. The Snohomish Health District, in coordination with the
Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management, the Washington
State Department of Health and other partners, continues to plan for
vaccine distribution in Snohomish County.
General Overview (Updated Jan. 7, 2021)
Multiple vaccines are under development and several are in large-scale clinical trials with tens of thousands of volunteers to ensure they are both safe and effective.
Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
● mRNA vaccine
● Approved for emergency use in those 16 years and older
● Two doses, 21 days apart
● Requires ultra-cold storage
● Clinical trial data show the vaccine is 95 percent effective at preventing symptomatic lab-confirmed COVID-19 infection starting seven days after the second dose.
Moderna COVID-19 vaccine
● mRNA vaccine
● Approved for emergency use in those 18 years and older
● Two doses, 28 days apart
● Clinical trial data shows the vaccine is about 94 percent effective at preventing symptomatic lab-confirmed COVID-19 infection after two doses.
Initial vaccine supply will be limited, meaning there won’t be enough vaccine to immunize everyone right away.
● The vaccine will be administered in phases, with those at highest risk getting immunized first and immunization continuing until everyone who wants to be immunized can be immunized.
● Washington State officials are hopeful that most people in Washington will be immunized by mid-summer 2021.
The first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will go to people at highest risk of contracting COVID-19.
● The first doses of the vaccine (phase 1a) will go to high-risk workers in health care settings, high-risk first responders and patients and staff of long-term care facilities.
o The state estimates about 500,000 people will be eligible for the vaccine in phase 1a.
o The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will issue guidance for later phases of the vaccine roll out, and the Washington State Department of Health will use those recommendations, along with community and stakeholder feedback, to issue updated allocation and prioritization plans.
● The State of Washington has expanded Phase 1 to include Tier 2 (after the completion of Tier 1), which includes all workers in health care settings.
o Phase 1a Tier 2 includes other health care providers, such as school nurses, and behavioral health providers, etc.,
While the arrival of a vaccine is welcome news, we must continue the preventive practices to keep ourselves, our loved ones and our community healthy.
● Wear face coverings, maintain physical distancing, avoid gatherings, wash hands frequently, and stay home if you’re sick or have been around someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
Frequently Asked Questions (Updated jan. 7, 2021
Q: How was the vaccine developed so quickly? Were steps skipped in the authorization process?
A: Scientists are using a decade of investment in vaccine science research to help develop the vaccine for COVID-19. Since we’re in a pandemic, developing a new vaccine can go faster than normal. No steps are skipped, but some steps happen at the same time, like applications, trials, and manufacturing.
● Several COVID vaccines are being tested. Each vaccine is going through more than one clinical trial. First with a small group of volunteers, then a couple hundred volunteers, then thousands of volunteers.
● After clinical trials, medical experts will examine test results and any side effects. If the vaccine works and is safe, it will get approved for distribution to the public.
● Washington State has joined other western states to do an additional expert review of the clinical trials results to make sure the vaccine is ready for distribution.
Q: How do we know it’s safe?
A: The process to approve and monitor vaccines has been around for decades. The same process used to develop vaccines for other illnesses, such as measles, mumps and whooping cough, is being used to develop the COVID-19 vaccine. Since we’re in a pandemic, developing a new vaccine can go faster than normal. No steps are skipped, but some steps happen at the same time, like applications, trials, and manufacturing.
● Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and Scientific Safety Review Workgroup (Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado and California).
● COVID-19 vaccines still go through several clinical trials, enrolling tens of thousands of volunteers, to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines.
● Medical experts review the results of the trials. If the data from the trials show the vaccine is safe and effective, the vaccine gets approved. Any vaccines that do not reach the final stages of testing and approval are destroyed.
● After a vaccine is authorized or approved for use, many vaccine safety monitoring systems watch for possible side effects. As with other vaccines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will continue to monitor COVID-19 vaccine safety.
Q: What are the side effects?
A: Some people in trials for the COVID vaccines experienced side effects like mild fever, muscle aches and flu-like symptoms as their body mounted a response to protect them from COVID-19.
● This is normal and means your immune system is working.
● Most vaccines have mild side effects. There is a difference between mild side effects and serious adverse effects.
Q: How is the vaccine administered? Is it just one shot?
A: With most COVID-19 vaccines, you will need two shots in order for them to be effective. Get the second shot even if you have side effects after the first one, unless a vaccination provider or your doctor tells you not to get a second shot.
● It takes time for your body to build protection after any vaccination. COVID-19 vaccines that require 2 shots may not protect you until a week or two after your second shot.
Q: Am I protected from COVID-19 after the first dose of the vaccine?
A: Both of the COVID-19 vaccines we have available are two-doses. This means you need both doses to get maximum protection against COVID-19.
Q: How much does it cost to get the vaccine?
A: Vaccine doses purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars will be given to the American people at no cost. However, vaccination providers may be able to charge administration fees for giving the shot. Insurance should cover these fees, and the Washington State Department of Health is working with other state partners to address cost barriers for those who do not have insurance.
Q: When will the vaccine be available to the general public?
A: The state of Washington has estimated that, if all goes as planned, they will be able to vaccinate everyone who wants to get a vaccine by mid-summer 2021.
● The first doses of the vaccine (phase 1a) will go to high-risk workers in health care settings, high-risk first responders and patients and staff of long-term care facilities.
o The state of Washington estimates there are between 300,000 and 500,000 people in Washington will be eligible for the vaccine in phase 1a.
o The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will issue guidance for later phases of the vaccine roll out, and the Washington State Department of Health will use those recommendations, along with community and stakeholder feedback, to issue updated allocation and prioritization plans.
o Washington State Vaccine Plan: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/vaccine
Q: When will teachers and other education professionals get the vaccine?
A: The CDC recently identified education workers (teachers, support staff, daycare) as frontline essential workers, and under the state of Washington vaccination plan, K-12 educators and child care workers are in vaccination group 1B. Those who are age 50 or older will be vaccinated in Tier 1, while those 49 and under will be vaccinated in Tier 4.
● The first doses of the vaccine (phase 1a) are going to high-risk workers in health care settings, high-risk first responders and patients and staff of long-term care facilities.
Q: Will children be able to get COVID-19 vaccines?
A: Children under age 16 will not be able to get the vaccine until there’s enough data from studies in different age groups, which will stretch well into next year.
● The Pfizer vaccine is authorized in the U.S. for people 16 and older. Testing began in October in children as young as 12 and is expected to take several more months. The Food and Drug Administration will have to decide when there’s enough data to allow emergency use in this age group.
● The Moderna vaccine is authorized in the U.S. for people 18 and older.
● Additional Info from AP Article: https://apnews.com/article/will-get-children-coronavirus-vaccine-1e007933dc3eace15bc1f9f60670955c
Q: Do I still need to wear a mask and remain physically distant after getting the vaccine?
A: Yes. It may take time for everyone who wants a COVID-19 vaccination to get one. Also, while the vaccine may prevent you from getting sick, it is unknown at this time if you can still carry and transmit the virus to others. That is why, until more is understood about how well the vaccine works, it is important to use all the tools available to prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as mask-wearing, physical distancing and frequent hand washing.
Q: I have had COVID-19. Should I still get the vaccine?
A: People who currently have COVID-19 should wait to get vaccinated until they feel better and their isolation period is finished. People who recently had COVID-19 may also choose to wait 90 days after their illness passes before getting the vaccine. Data suggests that it may be uncommon to get re-infected with COVID-19 in the 90 days after infection.
● People who were recently exposed to COVID-19 should also wait to get the vaccine until after their quarantine period, if they can safely quarantine away from other people. If there is a high risk they could infect others, they may be vaccinated during their quarantine period to prevent spreading the disease.
Q: Will the vaccine be required for those participating in in-person school?
A: Not at this time.
● Educators are included in the second phase of the Washington State vaccination plan and vaccination is recommended, but not required.
● When a vaccine is widely available, states do have the power to mandate it, however most allow the option to opt out of vaccination for either religious or personal reasons.
● Children under age 16 will not be able to get the vaccine until there’s enough data from studies in different age groups, which will stretch well into next year.
o The Pfizer vaccine is authorized in the U.S. for people 16 and older. Testing began in October in children as young as 12 and is expected to take several more months. The Food and Drug Administration will have to decide when there’s enough data to allow emergency use in this age group.
o The Moderna vaccine is authorized in the U.S. for people 18 and older.
Additional information about the COVID-19 vaccine is available on the Snohomish Health District website:
www.snohd.org/covidvaccine.