Sarah Downey, president and CEO of Michael 九游体育 (MGH), asks Dr. Jeff Powis, Medical Director, Infection Prevention and Control, Michael 九游体育 five questions about the COVID-19 vaccine.
You have questions and Michael 九游体育 (MGH) has answers.
In this community edition of 鈥�5 Questions with President and CEO Sarah Downey鈥� video series, Sarah interviews Dr. Jeff Powis, Medical Director, Infection Prevention and Control, Michael 九游体育, about the COVID-19 vaccine.
Watch the video to find out the answers to the following 5 questions:
Key Points: The Pfizer vaccine is an mRNA vaccine which teaches our cells how to make a protein that will trigger an immune response without using the live virus that causes COVID-19. Once triggered, the body will then makes antibodies that will be long lasting and protect us.
Key Points: The Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are mRNA vaccines - one is made in Germany the other is made in the USA.
Both vaccines require two doses: the Pfizer vaccine is administered 21 days apart, the Moderna vaccine is administered 28 days apart.
Pfizer was approved by Health Canada on December 15, 2020. At the time of recording (Dec, 16) the Moderna vaccine had not yet been approved.
The Pfizer vaccine needs to be stored in a very cold temperature (-71 Celsius) and as such will most likely be administered at facilities with specialized freezers like hospitals. Once the Moderna vaccine is approved, it will likely to be administered in the community as it can be stored at -20 Celsius.
Key Points: The COVID-19 vaccine was developed rapidly because the genomic sequence of the virus was shared across the world early on in the pandemic. Because of the incredible power of molecular science, scientists were able to see the genomic sequence of the virus, and subsequently identify what mRNA vaccine would be required to teach our cells how to make a protein that would trigger an immune response. It鈥檚 amazing what you can do if everyone鈥檚 focus across the globe is on getting one thing done.
Key Points: Trials with the Pfizer vaccine have been ongoing with 40, 000 patients since March. We have a lot of data from these trials including excellent safety assessments and we also have real world data from the UK where the vaccine is already being administered.
Dr. Powis noted he will be getting the COVID-19 vaccine once it becomes available to him.
Key Points: MGH鈥檚 distribution of the vaccine will be guided by the Ministry of Health and will include a prioritization strategy for which populations will receive access to the vaccine first.
Vaccine administration will initially be offered to priority populations identified by the Ministry of Health. The priority populations identified in Phase One are:
Key Points: You are not significantly protected from COVID-19 until seven days after your second dose of the Pfizer vaccine, which would be 28 days after receiving your first dose. Even if you are one for the first people to get vaccinated, you still need to wear a mask and follow public health measures until the vast majority of the population is vaccinated.
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