The COVID-19 Vaccine: Sticking to the Facts
February 24, 2021
The COVID-19 vaccine is a hot topic these days — and for good reason. For the first time in a long and difficult year, there is a real opportunity to get the upper hand on the virus. We hope you’ll get vaccinated as soon as you’re eligible to do so.
Two of the top health agencies in the U.S. — the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) — have confirmed their trust in the safety of the vaccine. Both the Pfizer vaccine and the Moderna vaccine were shown to be safe in large clinical trials with human volunteers. This led to the FDA’s decision to grant emergency use authorization to speed the rollout of the vaccine nationwide. Earlier this week, we got the news that the FDA has also approved the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which will help to accelerate the rate that vaccinations are available nationwide.
The vast majority of those who are being vaccinated experience — at the most — only minor and brief side-effects, such as pain or swelling at the injection site and/or flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, tiredness or headache).
Take Precautions to Stay Safe
COVID-19 vaccines are critically important because the virus spreads very easily — especially from person to person when people are in close contact with one another. That is why the CDC continues to urge Americans to take safety precautions to help slow the spread of the disease: Wash your hands frequently, stay at least six feet from anyone who doesn’t live with you, avoid crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces, and wear a mask over your nose and mouth.
Even those who have had the vaccine should continue practicing these precautions, since there is much that is still unknown about how COVID-19 spreads, how long immunity lasts, the vaccine’s effectiveness against newer strains of the virus, and so forth.
The Power of Protection Is in Your Hands
CoolSys encourages you to get vaccinated — for yourself, for your loved ones and for your customers. As essential workers, you are in tier 1B2 for the vaccine. (If you need proof of that status, take this letter with you to your vaccine site.) The vaccine is free for everyone, and your CoolSys health plans cover any administrative costs you may incur. Watch for more news about how Coolsys is supporting the vaccine effort.