Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak across the U.S. in
late January of 2020, ever-changing information about the
disease, safety measures, and vaccine efficacy has stirred
fear and uncertainty. Though some cases of adverse side
effects have followed COVID-19 vaccinations, as well as an
extremely low relative number of deaths (0.0022%), few studies
have examined mortality across vaccinated and
unvaccinated groups.
COVID-19 Vaccination and Non-COVID-19 Mortality Risk, a study
conducted between Dec. 2020 and July 2021, came in
response to safety concerns surrounding the vaccine. Despite
the outbreak of the highly transmissible Delta variant within
the same time frame, daily vaccination rates fell 78% between
April and September of 2021. The study of 11 million people was
conducted to evaluate and compare mortality rates
between vaccinated and unvaccinated participants.
Researchers found that COVID-19 vaccine recipients had lower
rates of mortality not associated with COVID-19 (non-COVID-19
mortality) than unvaccinated people. The results of the study
reinforce the safety profile of currently approved COVID-19
vaccines in the U.S.
With more than 192.9 million people fully vaccinated as of Nov.
3, 2021, the proof is in the numbers: there is no increased risk
for mortality among COVID-19 vaccine recipients. Learn more
about COVID-19 vaccine safety, common myths, and facts
about the vaccines.
Booster Shots
Certain people are now eligible to receive a third dose of the
COVID-19 vaccine, also referred to as a booster shot. Eligible
individuals may choose which vaccine they receive as a
booster dose with approval from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) to mix and match vaccine
dosing.
As of November 3, 2021, 20.6 million people have received a
booster dose of the vaccine. Those who are recommended to
receive a booster shot include:
• People 65 years and older.
• People 50-64 years old with underlying medical conditions.
• People 18 years and older who live in long-term care
settings.
According to the CDC, for the nearly 15 million people who got
the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine, booster shots are
also recommended for those who are 18 and older and who
were vaccinated two or more months ago.
People who received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines are
eligible to receive booster shots, especially if
immunocompromised. The Moderna vaccine is given in two
doses, 28 days apart, for people 18 years and older. The Pfizer
vaccine, also given in two doses, is administered 21 days apart
and available for people 12 years and older.
Following guidance from CDC, the Missouri Department of
Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has amended the state's
standing orders for Moderna and Janssen vaccine
administration for those eligible for a booster shot.
For individuals in Missouri who received a Pfizer or Moderna
COVID-19 vaccine, the following groups are eligible for a
booster shot at six months or more after their initial series.
• Ages 65 years and older.
• Ages 18+ who live in long-term care settings.
• Ages 18+ who have underlying medical conditions.
• Ages 18+ who work or live in high-risk settings.
For Missourians who received the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine,
booster shots are also recommended for those who are 18
and older and who were vaccinated two or more months
ago.
COVID-19 booster shots are administered anywhere the
COVID-19 vaccine is available. Individuals do not need to get
their booster shot at the same location they received their
initial series. Those seeking a booster shot can visit
MOStopsCovid.com to find a nearby provider and schedule
an appointment or locate a walk-in clinic.
Learn more about booster shots and how to choose which is
right for you, read frequently asked questions, and see
supporting data from the CDC.
Vaccines for Children and Teens
On Oct. 26, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory
panel endorsed kid-size doses of Pfizer's vaccine for 5- to
11-year-olds. The group overwhelmingly agreed that the
vaccine's benefits in preventing COVID-19 among that age
group outweigh any potential risks.
The panel also placed importance in parents' ability to
choose to protect their children, especially those at high risk of
illness or who frequent places where other safety measures
aren't being taken.
On October 29, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
authorized the emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine to include
children ages 5-11 years old. Two key points underscored the
overwhelming vote in favor of extending the vaccine to
children:
• Effectiveness: Immune responses of children 5-11 years of
age were comparable to those of individuals 16-25 years of
age. The vaccine was found to be 90.7% effective in
preventing COVID-19 in children 5-11 years of age.
• Safety: The vaccine's safety was studied in approximately
3,100 children ages 5-11 who received the vaccine. No serious
side effects have been detected in the ongoing study.
In the clinical trial, more children reported side effects after
the second dose than after the first. Side effects were
generally mild to moderate in severity, occurred within two
days after vaccination, and most went away within one to
two days.
Commonly reported side effects in the clinical trial included:
• Injection side pain (sore arm).
• Redness and swelling.
• Fatigue.
• Headache.
• Muscle and/or joint pain.
• Chills/fever.
• Swollen lymph nodes.
• Nausea.
• Decreased appetite.
In the U.S., COVID-19 cases in this age group make up 39% of
cases in individuals younger than 18. In the FDA press release,
FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research Director
Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., stated the FDA is committed to making
decisions guided by science and transparency. The FDA will
continue to post resources supporting their decision and
detailing their evaluation of the data to increase confidence
in parents.
The CDC now expands vaccine recommendations to the 28
million children in this age group. Though children are at lower
risk of becoming severely ill with COVID-19, children can have
both short and long term health complications and spread
the virus to others. Though the risk of severe illness is lower,
children can still become very sick and in some cases,
complications from infection can lead to hospitalization or
death.
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