Happy New Year. I’m writing to you from the ICU where the nurses have all gotten their first vaccine, have the date for their second, and buoyed by the fresh spirit of 2021, have decided to make travel plans.
I’m the fly on the wall, hearing that 2 weeks after her second dose of vaccine, one nurse is going to India. Another nurse already has plans for Mexico City.
They are also chattering about throwing a party once the second vaccine happens. As they stand next to each other with masks down around their chins, eating potluck food in the hallway near the nurses station.
I’m starting to realize that even my colleagues are no longer with me in the fight against covid. I know people are tired of masks and lonely and burned out, but I also know that the vaccines are NOT 100% effective, nor does everyone have access to or want the vaccine.
Also there are more specific issues at hand— such as the obvious fact that most people won’t take the time to learn how the vaccine works, so they won’t understand in what ways they’re protected and what ways they’re not protected…
For instance, did you realize that you will still “get” the covid virus but the vaccine will have pre-prepared your body’s immune system to fight it so you don’t get ill (or get less seriously ill)? So as long as virus still exists in your community, all of the reasons to wear a mask and social distance still apply after vaccination.
Also, vaccines in general take a few weeks to reach peak effectiveness. In this case, you need to think of all the steps the body has to take to build an immune response:
- Get first & second vaccines
- receive vaccine mRNA into cells
- Start making protein spikes in cells, per the instructions in the mRNA
- Release protein spikes from cells
- Immune system recognizes these protein spikes as foreign invaders
- Immune system begins making b-lymphocytes and t-lymphocytes
- These lymphocytes and other immune cells such as macrophages “fight” the vaccine, eradicating it—and it’s important to note that this is really the phase where you’ll feel “side effects” from your body fighting the vaccine.
- After this is finished, your custom made t and b lymphocytes are put into storage to be used agsin later if you get the virus
Most vaccines take about two weeks for this process, but these vaccines work a little differently. The literature for the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine says that peak effectiveness is reached 7days (1week) after the second shot.
But as I’ve discussed above, you will still need to wear a mask to protect yourself AND others as well as continue practicing social distancing.
I’m only saying these things because I’ve already been asked a lot of questions here at work by many of the nurses, and they seem to not fully understand the situation. I’ll also add some links to site that explain the vaccines. I’m sure this will be an ongoing topic, though, as the vaccines continue to receive FDA approval and wider distribution…
Understanding How Covid 19 Vaccines Work (CDC)
Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination (CDC)
Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines (CDC)
Covid 19 vaccines: get the facts (Mayo Clinic)
Please, be safe for yourself and for the rest of us!
Wear a mask. Social Distance. Don’t travel unnecessarily.