The FDA has recently announced and authorized both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Covid-19 Vaccine; it’s to be distributed to the highest priority groups in the United States as soon as possible. The first in line to receive the vaccine is essential healthcare workers- this includes caregivers.
As a healthcare worker in the frontline, your role has a higher risk of contracting Covid-19. We are strongly recommending and encouraging our caregivers to get the Covid-19 vaccine, as you are vital in keeping our patients safe and fighting the pandemic as a whole. Receiving the vaccine will not only protect yourself but will also protect your co-workers, family, friends, and patients at work.
Vaccine Rollout Plan in Pennsylvania
With limited supplies in mind, the COVID-19 vaccine will be distributed to Pennsylvania in four phases.
We are currently in Phase 1- Pennsylvania has begun the process of vaccinating those most at risk such as, health care workers and Pennsylvanians who live in long-term care facilities, as well as, people ages 65 and above, along with others that have high-risk conditions. For more information and for a map location of all facilities distributing the COVID-19 Vaccine, please visit Pennsylvania Department of Health Website.
Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccine in Philadelphia
For our caregivers at Angel on Call who wish to receive the COVID-19 Vaccine, please visit the City of Philadelphia’s official website to sign up today and reserve your place in line for the vaccine.
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health is the lead agency in overseeing and distributing Covid-19 Vaccines to residents of Philadelphia. The PDPH will create a vaccine administration network in order to achieve sustainable and proper vaccine distribution across the city, including through private healthcare providers, pharmacies, clinics, hospitals, community service organizations, and mass vaccination events.
What does the COVID-19 vaccine do?
The vaccine protects you from getting sick with COVID-19. The CDC states that it works by, “teaching your immune system how to recognize and fight against the virus that causes COVID-19. Therefore, if you contract COVID-19, your immune system “remembers” what it learned and is able to attack the infection effectively so that you don’t get sick.”
How does the COVID-19 vaccine work?
From the CDC: “COVID-19 vaccines help our bodies develop immunity to the virus that causes COVID-19 without us having to get the illness. Different types of vaccines work in different ways to offer protection, but with all types of vaccines, the body is left with a supply of “memory” T-lymphocytes as well as B-lymphocytes that will remember how to fight that virus in the future.
It typically takes a few weeks for the body to produce T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes after vaccination. Therefore, it is possible that a person could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after vaccination and then gets sick because the vaccine did not have enough time to provide protection.
Sometimes after vaccination, the process of building immunity can cause symptoms, such as fever. These symptoms are normal and are a sign that the body is building immunity.”
If I’ve already had COVID-19, do I still need to get the vaccine?
In a short response, Yes. It is still recommended to get the vaccine even if you already had Covid-19. During this time, healthcare experts do not know how long someone is immune from Covid-19 after their recovery. Therefore, the vaccine is there to further protect your body from the virus.
Can I get sick from the COVID-19 vaccine?
There can be side effects after your first or second dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine. Side effects typically go away after a few days and are completely normal- this means your body is protecting itself from the virus.
Common Side Effects can Include:
- Pain or swelling in your arm where you got the shot
- Fever
- Chills
- Tiredness
- Headache
If these side effects last more than a few days or are increasing in pain or severity, please contact your local doctor as soon as possible.
For more information about the COVID-19 Vaccination, please visit the CDC Website for further information and for Frequently Asked Questions about the vaccine.
