COVID Vaccines Q&A

By the Molokai Health Foundation

Question: I’m healthy. Why should I get vaccinated?
Answer: Anyone can get the virus and give it to other people who might not be as healthy. If you get vaccinated, you’re protecting family and friends, plus yourself!

Q: What side effects could I get from a vaccination?
A: The main side effect is a temporary sore spot where you got the shot. Other symptoms, like tiredness, headache or slight temperature, might last a few days, but go away quickly.

Q: I have diabetes and heart problems. My friend has cancer. Is it safe for us to get vaccinated?
A: Yes. Because you and your friend have “underlying health problems,” the COVID virus is even more dangerous for you. The vaccine won’t make your existing problems worse. Talk to your doctors. Getting vaccinated could save your life.

Q: Who can get the vaccination?
A: Everyone ages 12 and older.

Q: Where can I get vaccinated?
A: It’s free and takes less than half an hour from start to pau. People can walk in to get a vaccine at:
Molokai General Hospital Outpatient Clinic, 553-3121, ext. 0 or 1
Molokai Community Health Center, 553-5038, ext.1
(Na Pu’uwai, 560-3653, and DOH, 553-7889, will offer vaccinations in the future)

Q: Will I die from a COVID vaccination?
A: No. As of August, 168 million people have been vaccinated in the U.S. Of all those vaccinated, 5,343 (0.0003 percent) died. It’s not clear whether the vaccine caused their deaths, or whether they had other illnesses.

Q: Can I catch COVID after being vaccinated?
A: Yes, but chances are less than one percent. If you do, it will be a mild case. Almost everyone now hospitalized and dying of COVID is not vaccinated.

Q: What about the new Delta strain?
A: The Delta “variant” is now the main version of COVID that’s getting people sick. It can infect two times more people than the original version, and it attacks more children and young adults. Vaccinations protect against the Delta, too.

Q: How do Pfizer and Moderna vaccines work?
A: These new vaccines train your own cells to fight the virus, then disappear from your body. Old vaccines used weak versions of the actual virus to make us immune, but not the new ones. This video explains it: youtube.com/watch?v=WOvvyqJ-vwo

Q: What are some false rumors about the vaccines?
A: Getting a vaccination will not put microchips in you, magnetize your body, give you a heart attack, contaminate breast milk, make you infertile or change your DNA.

Q: Were the new vaccines created too fast?
A: They are based on decades of research on how to train our bodies to naturally fight viruses. Scientists and doctors had already figured out how to do this before COVID hit. As soon as they got information needed to identify this new virus, they were able to create “messenger” vaccines that teach our bodies to fight it.

Q: The FDA has not yet formally approved the vaccines?
A: The FDA gave emergency approval for the vaccines. Final FDA approval of any drug normally takes a long time because they have to review a lot of data. But meanwhile hundreds of millions of people have already been vaccinated without any serious problems.

Q: If I get COVID, what will it do to my body?
A: The COVID virus can badly damage your lungs, heart and brain. It can also cause loss of smell and taste. Even after COVID patients get better, these symptoms often don’t go away. It’s harder to breathe, your brain feels “foggy,” and your heart gets tired fast. Doctors still don’t know if or when these symptoms can be cured.

Q: Which island has fewest COVID cases?
A: Molokai held the record until recently. Now Lanai has the lowest number. If we all get vaccinated, we can take back our title! Go Farmers!

If you have questions or want to know more, please ask your doctor. They want you and your ‘ohana to be healthy, too!