Features

As COVID vaccine becomes more available, questions arise

Natalie Thomson, Reporter|February 6, 2021

To get the vaccine or not? This is the question since the COVID-19 vaccine has been made available through states across the nation. Each person must assess the risk versus the benefit, and there are several things to consider.

Availability

Healthcare providers have been first in line to get the COVID vaccine and long term facility residents. According to the FDA, it is not likely for the vaccines to be internationally available until the middle of 2021.

According to the NJ Covid-19 Information Hub website, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for persons 16 and older. The Moderna vaccine is recommended for individuals 18 and older.

Have death rates increased or decreased in NJ? If so, how dramatically?

Death rates have declined drastically since the vaccine has been made available. For example, during the week of December 30, an average of 175 deaths were reported. Many attribute this to large gatherings around the holidays. At the time of press in New Jersey, the average death rate is back down to 59 the two weeks. This may be related to the the vaccine’s availability or social distancing.

The Benefits

Vaccines are shown to be highly effective in preventing the disease
It will help reduce spread.
Cases are going down, especially in New Jersey.

Side Effects

(At this time, side effects are thought to be temporary)
Common side effects include
- Headaches
- Itch/redness around the vaccinated area
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Aching limbs

How long is the wait for the vaccine?

New Jersey released guidelines for vaccine availability in several phrases, determined by occupation and health risk factors. Currently, in Phase 1A, candidates include healthcare personnel and long-term care residents and staff. Phase 1B includes first responders and individuals at high-risk. More detailed information can be found online at the NJ Covid-19 Information Hub.

What vaccine locations are near us?

In NJ, approximately 128 places are administering the vaccine. However most places at the moment will have you put on a waiting list in some cases. Locally, some include