Doha: Senior Ministry of Public Health official answered public queries about Covid-19 vaccine on a live Instagram question and answer session today.
During the session, Dr Soha Al Bayat, Head of Vaccination, said that over 100,000 people are already inoculated with Pfizer-BioNTech in Qatar and urged everyone to register on the website for vaccination.
Some of the important points covered during the interaction are:
Potential side effects
If you are allergic to one of the components of the vaccine, if you have any critical allergy, it’s im-portant that when you go to your healthcare provider to take the vaccine, mention your allergy, they would let you know if you are eligible not.
Most reported side effects are pain at the site of injection, little bit heaviness in the arm, this is the most common side effect reported. Other side effects reported are lethargy body ache, fatigue, headaches, some people had mild increase in body temperature. Most people’s side effects went away within 24 hours, for some it lasted for little longer. It all depends how our body respond to the vaccine and how our immune system works.
Is the side effects more after the second dose?
Some people did have slightly stronger side effects the second time than the first time, some had no side effects. For some it was less than the first time. So it’s different from one person to another depending on their response and immune system. It’s just the way how your body is reacting to the vaccine and how your immune system is activated to produce more and more antibodies to protect you.
But even these side effects are not critical or dangerous. They might be a bit like more fatigue, more headache, pain in the arm.
Food allergy and other medicines
Food allergies are not a contraindication, only thing is I would highly recommend that you stay longer for observation. Just to be on the safer side but many people with food allergies took the vaccine and they are fine.
For the COVID-19 vaccine it does not have any food products or antibiotic components in it. So even if you have allergy to food or medication you can still take the vaccine. The only thing I would recommend is to wait for longer time. like an extra 30 minutes, for observation.
When will vaccine give sufficient antibodies?
To reach the maximum level of antibodies, you need two weeks after the second dose. After you take the first dose your body start developing antibodies and it will increase day by day. And, we need to take the second dose and then it will push the immune in your body further as you develop more antibodies. So two weeks after the second dose you will have sufficient protection.
But remember we have said that the vaccine is up to 95 % effective, which is a great level of immunity. But there is still 5% who may not respond as well. They may not develop sufficient antibodies.
This is why we say at this time you have to follow same preventive measures of social distancing, wearing mask and using and sanitizer. Because you never know, which are you, are you from the 5% or from the 95% and to what level did your body respond and develop immunity.
You will have to continue same measures until certain percentage of people in the country are vaccinated, which make the virus very difficult to transit form one person to another.
Charges
In Qatar the vaccine is for free. If you happen to be going to the health centre and you do not have a health card, you will be charged a very very nominal amount, and that’s only a registration and admin fee. It’s not the cost of the vaccine itself.
The ministry of public health has made agreements with Pfirzer-BioNTech and Moderna to get suffi-cient vaccines for the entire population of the country.
Breastfeeding
There is no scientific data either way, so we had a few women who are breastfeeding take the vaccine and they are really fine with no health issues. So, in essence yes you can. But we would prefer that you discuss with your physician if you are healthy and fit and no contraindications.
