Back to school!!
As the time to return to school approaches, we are thoughtful about the return to crowded indoor settings for our children and what increased exposure means to the health of our patients. You ladies ask a lot of great questions about the Delta variant. We thought we could cover what we know so far about Delta, immunizations, and safety with the exposure changes that back to school brings.
What is the Delta Variant?
All viruses mutate or change over time. Some changes make them less contagious, and some make them more. Variants that are more contagious will, of course, spread in the community more easily and become the dominant type of virus. The Delta variant is the fourth rapidly spreading COVID variant that health experts have tracked during the pandemic. It has been detected in the US since March of 2021 and now accounts for 90% of the new COVID cases in the Kansas City area.
Does my vaccine prevent me from getting the Delta Variant?
The primary goal of the COVID vaccine is to keep those who receive it from getting severe illness or dying when exposed to the virus. NO VACCINE works 100% of the time to prevent disease. The available COVID vaccines are very effective at preventing severe disease, hospitalization and death from the COVID virus, including the Delta Variant. If you are immunized you are much less likely to become ill when exposed to the Delta Variant, and if you do become ill your symptoms will be less severe than those who are not immunized.
I chose not to receive the vaccine while pregnant, and now I am breastfeeding. What is the data on safety?
There is good evidence that a mother’s COVID antibodies are passed, in small amounts, to her breastfeeding infant. This may provide the infant some protection against the virus. None of the available COVID vaccines have live virus in them, which is the only type of vaccine that should be avoided while breastfeeding.
My young children are not immunized, how do I keep them safe and my household free of COVID this school year?
We know that the virus spreads more rapidly indoors and in close contact. Your school district should provide information on what they are doing to keep your schools clean and your children appropriately distanced. Masking and frequent handwashing are our best modes of protection to prevent the spread of COVID. Unimmunized people, including children, should follow these recommendations when in close contact with other people outside of their household.
I am young and healthy so I don’t think I need to be immunized against COVID.
There are two reasons for immunization. The first is to prevent severe illness, hospitalization and death in the person who Is immunized. Area hospitalization rates for young people due to COVID are increasing, and getting the vaccine is the best way to protect yourself.
The second reason is to protect those around you. When you are immunized you are less likely to spread the virus to your roommate, significant other, parents, grandparents, or coworkers. Most of us would go to great lengths to prevent hurting those we care about. The spread of COVID should be no different.
I am not immunized yet because I am concerned about the vaccine’s effect on my fertility.
This is a common myth that has NO scientific evidence to support it. Immunizations work on your immune system. They tell your body to build an immune response against infection. They do not have any effect on the reproductive organs of men or women.
Bottom line, we will be living with COVID for some time to come. The disease will change over time and our response, safety measures, and recommendations will need to change in response to the virus. Remember that doing your part by receiving vaccines and masking when indoors or in crowded places reduces your risk AND the risk of those around you! We will continue to do our best to keep you safe and informed on the medical information.
Reliable resources:
World Health Organization, Science in 5
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/media-resources/science-in-5
Kansas Department of Health Newsroom
https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/169/Newsroom
Missouri Department of Health Covid Vaccine News