Get the COVID-19 vaccine from Walmart
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly six million people in the United States have received a COVID-19 vaccine. So far, most vaccines have gone to priority groups, meaning health workers, people in nursing homes and the elderly. But as more doses become available, more people will be able to join the line.
In the next few months, you will be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine, not only at healthcare facilities and doctor’s offices, but also at retailers like Walmart.
This is what you need to know about the vaccine and how you can get it from Walmart when it’s time.
Why is the vaccine important?
The vaccine helps protect you against COVID-19, and it will also help protect the people and communities around you. If enough people are vaccinated, we can even achieve herd immunity. It is when enough people are immune to the disease that it can no longer spread easily.
This does not mean that the disease disappears completely. (In fact, you can get coronavirus more than once.) It just means it’s not spreading enough to be a pandemic or epidemic, says H. Dirk Sostman, MD, president of the Houston Methodist Academic Institute. Think of it as a forest fire. If there is less dry wood on the floor of the forest, the fire will be more difficult to spread, ”he says. “Susceptible people are like fuel for the virus.” If fewer people are susceptible to the virus because they have been immunized, the virus can go nowhere.
When do we achieve herd immunity?
No one knows exactly how many people need to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity, but in the case of COVID-19, many experts point to about 70 percent of the population, says Dr. Sostman. This is why coronavirus differs from all other epidemics in history.
Are the vaccines effective?
The two vaccines now available in the United States – one from Moderna and one from Pfizer – are each about 95 percent effective when both doses are given, says the World Health Organization.
This means that there were 95 percent fewer cases of COVID-19 in people who received the vaccine as part of recent clinical trials compared to those who were not vaccinated. This is a remarkably high number.
In contrast, the typical flu vaccine, according to the CDC, is only 40 to 60 percent effective. Discover why you need a new flu shot every year.
“Both the Pfizer and the Modern vaccine … are equally effective and it does not matter what vaccine people receive,” says Alex McDonald, MD, a general practitioner in San Bernardino, California. ‘I tell people to take whatever is available. However, make sure that both doses you receive come from the same vaccine. ”
Will the vaccines be protected against new strains of the virus?
At least two new variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, have been identified, one from the United Kingdom and one in South Africa. Recent research (not yet peer reviewed), published in bioRxiv, indicates that the Pfizer vaccine will cover the UK COVID-19 virus mutations. Scientists are still investigating whether existing vaccines will cover the version of the virus first identified in South Africa.
Who should and may not get a vaccine?
Public health authorities encourage as many people as possible to get the vaccine, especially those who are at high risk for COVID-19 complications. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the Pfizer vaccine for people 16 years and older. The Moderna vaccine can be given to people 18 years and older.
The only people who should not be getting the COVID-19 vaccine at this stage are those who have had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of the same vaccine or one of its ingredients, the CDC says.
People with a history of allergic reactions, including other vaccines, should be observed for 15 to 30 minutes after being shot. You can also get a COVID-19 vaccine if you are already infected with the virus, although you will have to wait until you have recovered from any symptoms. Here are some signs that you may have had COVID-19.
Is the vaccine safe?
Although some people have had allergic reactions to the shot, the two available vaccines are still safe. The most common side effect is the same as with any vaccine: a sore arm where the needle has entered. Some people also experience flu-like symptoms such as headaches, mild fever, chills and muscle aches.
It is more common with the second dose, but it disappears within 24 hours and can easily be treated with Tylenol or Motrin, says Dr. Sostman. In fact, it’s a good sign. “It’s a manifestation of your body’s response to the vaccine,” he adds. “These are not security issues.”
What is the vaccine process?
Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses to be fully effective. The two doses of the Pfizer vaccine should be given 21 days apart, while the two doses of Moderna should be separated by 28 days. At present, experts advise people to avoid any other vaccines within 14 days of receiving the Covid-19 vaccine.
Most people with health insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid, do not have to pay for a vaccine. According to the Commonwealth Fund, the federal government has also purchased millions of doses for uninsured people.
How can I get a COVID-19 vaccine from Walmart?
Walmart is already helping to administer the Moderna vaccine to health workers in New Mexico. Eventually, it will provide vaccines at the more than 5,000 Walmart and Sam’s Pharmacy locations across the United States. In the first place, essential workers, first responders, and older Americans are in “Priority 1B” and “Priority 1C” as designated by the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
Walmart predicts that pharmacists from Walmart and Sam’s Club will be able to give COVID-19 vaccinations to all Americans in the spring and summer. Places ensure that there are freezers and other equipment and supplies to store and apply the doses. It is not yet clear if appointments are needed. But the chain is setting up processes to make sure people are notified when they need to get their second dose.
Here are some other services you may not have known you can get at Walmart.
Sources:
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: CDC COVID Data Tracker
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Walmart: “Administration of COVID-19 Vaccines”
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US Food and Drug Administration: “Information document Modern COVID-19 vaccine”
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New England Journal of Medicine: “Safety and efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 vaccine”
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bioRvix: “Neutralization of N501Y mutant SARS-CoV-2 by BNT162b2 vaccine elicits sera”
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World Health Organization: “Overview of vaccine efficacy and effectiveness”
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CDC: “Vaccine effectiveness: how well do flu vaccines work?”
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Alex McDonald, Managing Director, General Practitioner, San Bernardino, California
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CDC: “Interim Clinical Considerations for the Use of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Currently Authorized in the United States”
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Commonwealth Fund: “The COVID-19 vaccine is coming, but will it be paid for? Federal and state policies to fill gaps in insurance coverage ”
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Walmart: “Walmart begins administering its first COVID-19 vaccines to health workers in New Mexico”
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CDC: “Evidence table for the allocation of COVID-19 vaccines in phases 1b and 1c of the vaccination program”
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Walmart: “Pharmacy Detection”
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Walmart: “Walmart prepares to administer the COVID-19 vaccine once it is approved”
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The report How to get the COVID-19 vaccine from Walmart first appeared on Reader’s Digest.