Covid vaccine questions answered by a Darlington health expert

Dr Amanda Riley, Clinical Director of the Darlington Primary Care Network and Chief Executive Officer at Primary Healthcare Darlington, has lifted the lid on some of the myths surrounding the Covid vaccine.

Earlier this week, across our social media networks The Northern Echo asked you for your burning questions and of you responded in your hundreds.

SEE MORE: What the person in charge of Darlington's vaccine rollout has said about the programme

From questions on does the vaccine affect fertility, are there any left at the end of the day to can those with allergies to egg still have the jab.

We've picked out some of the best questions and have put them to Dr Riley - and here is what she had to say.

1. What immunity do you actually have with only one vaccination?

Short-term vaccine efficacy from the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is calculated at around 90 per cent, Short-term vaccine efficacy from the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine is calculated at around 70 per cent, with high protection against severe disease. 

For both vaccines it takes about two weeks to get this protection. The second dose is still important to provide longer lasting protection and is expected to be as or more effective when delivered at an interval of 12 weeks from the first dose.

2. Is there a plan for a reservation list for any left at the end of each day? 

Yes, we (Darlington PCN) have a list of 20 people from within the eligible cohorts who are able to get to the centre at short notice in the evenings. These people are picked at random in the interests of fairness. This list is maintained regularly.

For regular appointment bookings we are inviting people via text with a booking link initially. We have been calling those that do not have online access, but we will shortly be sending letters with a number people can contact us on. 

We are currently focusing on cohorts 1, 2 and 3.  We hope to open that more widely to cohort 4 (over 70s) when we get notification of further deliveries next week.  People may also have received a letter from the NHS inviting them to use the national booking system. 

That will give them access to the mass vaccination centres and community pharmacy sites. We remind everyone to please do not call your GP practice for an appointment as they are not able to book the appointments.

3. Can you say why I had my vaccine a week ago (I am 76 and quite healthy) but my husband (75 and having to shield because of his health) has not heard anything yet about his vaccine?

All people aged 75 and over were contacted by text message at the same time. It may be that your husband does not have a mobile phone number on his record, so we couldn’t provide a booking link via text.

However if you follow the link that was sent to you, he will be able to book his appointment. 

4. Is the vaccine safe for someone who reacts and is allergic to a lot of medication?

Yes - Both vaccines are now deemed to be safe for people with allergies, unless they have a specific allergy to one of the components of the vaccine or have reacted to their first dose.  The Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine, for instance, contains polyethylene glycol (PEG). PEGs are a group of known allergens commonly found in medicines, many household products and cosmetics.

A known allergy to PEG is very rare but would mean it is not safe for a person to have this vaccine. If this is the case however, The AstraZeneca vaccine can be used as an alternative.

To make sure the vaccine we have available is safe for each person, we keep everyone for 15-minute observation after receiving the Pfizer vaccine. If you are unsure, please discuss with the vaccinator on the day.

5. What are the possible effects on someone with auto immune disease?

Many people with sever auto immune disease may be on immunosuppressant medication - this dampens down the body’s immune response. 

It is not yet known how this will affect the body’s response to the vaccine.  People with a reduced immune response are strongly recommended to have the vaccine, but must continue to take stringent measures to prevent catching Covid-19. 

This includes continuing to follow national guidance (Hands, Face, Space) and to stay home if possible.

6. Is the vaccine a one time deal for life or will we need one every year?

This is not yet known. However, it is unlikely that it will be a one-time deal for life.  We are already seeing that the virus is mutating and it is likely that with time the vaccines will need to respond to this.  Currently, scientists are convinced that the vaccines will be effective against the strains we are seeing in the community – which is great news.

7. I'd like to know if pregnant women can have the vaccine? I’ve recieved conflicting advice!

As with many medications, research has not been undertaken in pregnancy.  However, the available data does NOT indicate any harm to pregnancy and there is insufficient evidence to recommend routine use of Covid-19 vaccines during pregnancy. The exception to this may be where an individual has a higher risk of becoming seriously unwell with Covid-19. In this scenario they should discuss with a vaccinator.

It is also important to note that the vaccine does not affect fertility and there is no requirement to delay pregnancy after a vaccination.

8. Does the vaccine stop you showing symptoms - and how would you know if you had the virus even after the vaccine? 

The vaccine reduces (but does not eliminate) the risk of catching the virus.  Those that do catch the virus are less likely to display symptoms or become seriously unwell.  This may increase the risk of asymptomatic spread as you could still be contagious despite the absence of symptoms – we recommend taking asymptomatic tests regularly after the vaccine to help stop the spread of Covid-19.

9. I have a friend who has an allergy to egg, she is unable to have the flu jab, she has asked what is in the Covid make up, to date no answers, so can she have the Covid vaccine and which one? 

Yes, she can.

Neither of the vaccines contain egg and so are safe for those that have egg allergies.  It is also important to note that the vaccines do not contain alcohol or porcine ingredients.