COVID FAQs - Feb 2021
The Rotary Club of Southwest Wichita Falls is partnering with the other Rotary and Service Clubs in Wichita County in an initiative to encourage the wearing of masks in advance of reaching vaccination levels supportive of “Herd Immunity”.
Why are we doing this project?
Citizens are getting tired of following the protective measures: wear a mask, social distance, wash hands frequently and minimize our movement in public to necessary activities. COVID-19 will continue to spread till we reach “Herd Immunity” that comes as 75% of the population has been vaccinated. If we wear a mask we can prevent, “People are going to die that don’t need to die.”
Factoids:
- In just one year, the virus SARS-CoV-2, that causes COVID-19, has infected >103 million people and killed >2.2 million.
- As of end of January 2021, Texas has over 2.3M cases reported with >37,200 deaths.
- As many as 40% of those who test positive for COVID-19 have no symptoms at all, but 2% of those who get sick die. It’s especially deadly in the elderly; COVID-19 has killed 1 of every 66 Americans over 85. Amount those infected, some cope with crippling long-term symptoms for months with unknown future health impacts.
- Limit time with others: Current CDC estimates are that 15 minutes of cumulative exposure to COVID-19 indoors can lead to infection.
- Get Vaccinated when you can. After receiving the vaccine, continue to wear a mask when out in public as trials didn’t monitor participants to determine if they were infections.
- Vaccine can’t cause COVID-19 as there are no virus cells (dead or alive) included in the vaccine. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are made with RNA (1/2 of a DNA strand) and prompt the body to attack the outside structures of the COVID-19 Virus.
Frequently asked questions:
Q: Why should I take the COVID-19 vaccine?
A: Getting this vaccine once it is available to you represents one step that you can take to get the Texas economy, and our day-to-day lives, back to normal.
Q: Who can get the vaccine now?
A: Front-line healthcare workers and residents at long-term care facilities (called Phase 1A) plus people over 65 or with a chronic medical condition that puts them at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 (called Phase 1B) are currently eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Q: When will teachers, critical infrastructure workers, essential workers and other front-line workers not included in Phase 1A, be eligible for the vaccine?
A: Spring 2021 is the best estimate of when vaccine will be available for the general public who are not considered Phase 1B. No specific occupation or group is specifically identified in 1B; however, all occupations will have some individuals who meet the 1B criteria. It depends on vaccine production and how quickly other vaccines become available.
Q: What To Do If You Want A COVID-19 Vaccine?:
A: Monitor the City of Wichita Falls COVID-19 website and social media pages. Information will continue to be updated with each new vaccine allocation the Health District receives from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
A: Speak with your physician or medical provider to see if they are administering the vaccine.
A: Regularly check the DSHS website to see what other locations in Wichita Falls have received vaccines. Some of these locations have started waiting lists. Texas COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Locations
A: Check the status of vaccinations and the wait list on the Health District’s Web site. Director of Health, Lou Kreidler said they have about 7,000 people on their waiting list (as of early Feb 2021). The health district is using its current waiting list to schedule appointments for additional clinics next week. Kreidler said the district’s goal is to get at least 75% or more of the city’s population vaccinated in order to control the spread of the virus. “Of course, we would love to see 100% of our community vaccinated but we understand that there are individuals who have concerns about the vaccine because it is so new. We really want them to understand that the vaccine is safe and its effective,” Kreidler said. “It’s more effective than any other vaccine that I’ve seen in my entire nursing career,”
Q: Where can I find more COVID-19 Vaccine Information?:
A: https://tx-wichitafalls3.civicplus.com/2186/COVID-19-Vaccine-Information Last updated 2/10/2021
Q: Which Vaccine should I get?:
A: The one you can get the soonest to protect against COVID-19.
All five of the vaccines — from Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Novavax and Johnson & Johnson — look extremely good. Of the roughly 75,000 people who have received one of the five in a research trial, not a single person has died from Covid, And only a few people appear to have been hospitalized. None have remained hospitalized 28 days after receiving a shot.
Q: I’ve been vaccinated, why do I need to wear a mask?:
A: Others might not be safe from you!
Health officials from Dr. Anthony Fauci on down are cautioning people that no one can dump the face masks and social distancing behavior just because they've been vaccinated. That's because even people who are themselves immune to the virus might be exposed to it and transmit it to others. It can grow in the nose, says Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. "It's possible that someone could get the vaccine but could still be an asymptomatic carrier," said CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician. "They may not show symptoms, but they have the virus in their nasal passageway so that if they're speaking, breathing, sneezing and so on, they can still transmit it to others." Given these unanswered questions, the CDC says vaccinated people should still use "all the tools available to us" to stop the pandemic, including wearing a mask and staying at least 6 feet away from others. https://abc7chicago.com/covid-vaccine-19-moderna-vaccination/9558108/
Another great source of information from Texas Department of State Health Services
COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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