• Following full approval from the FDA , no one is excluded from receiving the vaccine as there are no medical contraindications except for a severe allergic reaction to this vaccine or any of its components.
• Because the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses, MyOchsner or the COVID hotline will automatically schedule the second dose at the same location with the appropriate length of time (21 or 28 days depending on which vaccine you receive) between visits.
• Most importantly, all three vaccines have been thoroughly tested and found to be safe and effective in preventing serious disease. All three vaccine have continuous and intense safety monitoring and more than over 346 million doses of COVID-19 have been given in the U.S.

Ochsner takes the health and safety of our patients and staff seriously. The following precautions are in place:

• Fully vaccinated staff will have identification of their vaccination status on their ID badge. Ochsner requires all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 29, 2021. Learn more.
• All Ochsner staff regardless of location, role or vaccination status must be fully masked at all times while indoors at an Ochsner facility. This includes our corporate and non-clinical staff.
• All staff are required to complete a mandatory training course on COVID-19 safety standards in the workplace.

Since this is a novel virus, we are still unsure how long the vaccine antibodies will last. However, recent data indicate that the mRNA vaccines continue to have a strong response for at least 6 months post-vaccination.

• Like the flu shot, the vaccine is administered into a large muscle in the upper arm. As is the case with any vaccine, allergic reactions may occur. Some may experience mild fever, soreness, muscle aches, headaches, chills, fatigue/tiredness, muscle or joint pain, redness and/or swelling at the site of administration. These are signs of an immune response to the vaccine and expected in some patients.
• Based on data reported from the FDA emergency use authorization (EUA), possible side effects have been more prominent after the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna.
• If you have pain or discomfort, you can take your normal pain reliever or talk to your pharmacist about taking an over-the-counter medicine, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
• To reduce pain and discomfort where you got the shot, you can apply a clean, cool compress over the area. To reduce discomfort from fever, drink plenty of fluids.

• We recommend that people continue their routine medications as prescribed by their physician which may include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), also known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Patients who have one of the CDC-listed underlying medical conditions and are prescribed NSAID by their physicians, are not excluded and are encouraged to receive the vaccine.

While extreme serious reactions to the vaccine are rare, you should seek medical care if:

• you experience a severe allergic reaction call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room
• the redness or tenderness where you got the shot increases after 24 hours
• your side effects are worrying you or do not seem to be going away after a few days

Ochsner On Call can answer questions at 800-231-5257 or 504-842-3155

If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911.

Report side effects to FDA/CDC Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). Reporting instructions are included in Fact Sheet you received when you got your vaccine.

• The vaccine cannot cause you to test positive via nasal swab or saliva test. This is not a live vaccine and will not cause you to shed virus.
• It takes four to six weeks to become fully vaccinated. You are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after your second dose of either Moderna or Pfizer. Some patients may still become infected or develop symptoms following vaccination against COVID-19. No vaccine is 100% effective. Those that do get infected after vaccination, so called breakthrough cases of COVID-19, are more likely to have mild or no symptoms. Even with the more contagious Delta variant, COVID-19 vaccines have shown 90% effectiveness in preventing severe infections that require hospitalization.

• That is the intent. Instead of traditional vaccines, which may use the virus itself, the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine will use a protein on the outside of the virus. This means the vaccine can’t cause COVID-19 in a person, because it’s not using the virus that causes the disease.

• This stimulates your body’s immune system to mount a response as if it were a true infection, minimizing your risk of infection or disease burden should you encounter the same virus later. While there is evidence that people with breakthrough cases from the Delta variant can spread COVID-19 to others, those numbers overall are low.
• However, in order to stop this pandemic, we need to use every tool available which includes the vaccines, social distancing, handwashing and wearing masks.

• No, there are no restrictions after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, but you should continue to wear your mask, social distance and practice good hand hygiene.

• No deferral is necessary for whole blood or platelet donors who received non-replicating, inactivated or RNA-based vaccines or the mRNA Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.

• No. The FDA does not feel that it would be acceptable for these individuals to donate CCP. This is because it is not known yet if the CCP would be efficacious from a vaccinated person.

• Yes. Remember, it takes time for your body to build protection after any vaccination. COVID-19 vaccines that require 2 shots may not protect you until two weeks (14 days) after your second shot.
• With the rapid rise in cases due to the Delta variant, the CDC recommends wearing masks indoors regardless of vaccination status especially in COVID-19 hot spots. It’s important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to help stop this pandemic as we learn more about how COVID-19 vaccines work in real-world conditions.

• Yes. There is not enough information currently available to say how long after infection someone is protected from getting COVID-19 again. In order to stop this pandemic, we need to use every tool available which includes the immunization, social distancing, handwashing and wearing masks.

• Yes, there is no need to delay other immunizations after your COVID-19 vaccine.

• If you are fully vaccinated and have been exposed to someone who is COVID-19 positive, you are not required to quarantine unless you are symptomatic.
• You should get tested 3-5 days after exposure and wear a mask indoors for 14 days post exposure, or until you receive a negative test result.

• The claim circulating on social media that the COVID-19 vaccine causes female infertility is FALSE and is not supported by any research.

Read our blog for more information: https://blog.ochsner.org/articles/covid-19-vaccine-and-fertility

• COVID-19 vaccination may not be for everyone. If you are unsure if you should receive the COVID-19 vaccine, please call your healthcare provider to discuss the possible benefits and risks.

• Based on safety and efficacy data and the recommendations of the FDA and CDC, we recommend that eligible children and adults get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as they are able.
• We understand that many people have questions about the vaccine, so recommend reaching out to your pediatrician to discuss the best decision for your child.
• Individuals ages 6 months and above are eligible to receive the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine. The dose amount for children age 6 months – 11 years is one third of the adult dose for ages 12 and above.
• Ochsner will only recommend and administer vaccines that have been evaluated for safety, effectiveness and individual patient needs.
• The benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks of forgoing immunization.