Second dose of vaccine needed to provide protection

USA Health employees who have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine should make sure to schedule their second dose to protect themselves, their patients, co-workers and loved ones.

Two doses of the Pfizer vaccine 21 days apart are necessary to produce a high vaccine efficacy of 95 percent in preventing COVID-19 in the recipient. The efficacy of a single dose has not been systematically evaluated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Healthcare personnel are considered front-line workers and were included in the first phase of the vaccination allocation.

“The vaccine is safe and effective,” said Michael Chang, M.D., chief medical officer for USA Health. “But we all need to do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19 by getting both doses of the vaccine as recommended.”

USA Health employees or their managers can self-schedule appointments to receive the vaccine at a drive-through clinic at the Mobile Civic Center. The first step is completing the USA Health Vaccination Information Registration Form. After completing the form, the employee will receive a link via email to sign up for an appointment at the Mobile Civic Center.

The most commonly reported side effects from the Pfizer vaccine are pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain and fever. The vaccine is authorized by the FDA for individuals age 16 and older.