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Omicron is a coronavirus variant. The Omicron variant is highly contagious and it is continuing to spread rapidly all over the U.S. Although the CDC is collaborating with other global health organizations to learn more about the Omicron variant, we know that vaccines and boosters are still the most effective way to protect yourself from being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. The overwhelming majority of the people hospitalized with COVID-19 in New Jersey are unvaccinated and Newark has one of the highest hospitalization rates in New Jersey according to a recent report by the New Jersey Hospital Association.
High-quality, layered, and well-fitting masks also help to protect against all variants. N95 and KN95 masks are strongly recommended. If you do not have access to N95 or KN95 masks, wear a surgical mask.
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The risk of getting COVID-19 if you are fully vaccinated is lower. In October of 2021, unvaccinated individuals were 5 times more likely to get infected with the virus than vaccinated individuals. Most importantly, if you get COVID-19 after being vaccinated the risk of being hospitalized or dying is much lower. In New Jersey, as of January 1, 2022, hospitalizations from COVID are the highest that they have been since May 2020 and the overwhelming majority are unvaccinated according to the New Jersey Department of Health.
The number one goal of the vaccines is to keep you out of the hospital and alive. Lastly, the more people who are vaccinated the less likely the virus is to mutate and create new variants, which could be even more dangerous.
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While no medication or treatment is perfect, vaccines and booster shots continue to be our best protection against COVID-19. Vaccinated individuals becoming infected with COVID-19, referred to as breakthrough infections, will continue to happen, but the number one goal of getting vaccinated and getting a booster shot is to keep you out of the hospital and alive. So far, most of those who are vaccinated and have gotten a booster shot only have mild symptoms from Omicron and some have no symptoms. As referenced above, the majority of those who are hospitalized in New Jersey, as a result of the Omicron variant, are unvaccinated.
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Click here for specific instructions from the CDC on what to do if you test positive for COVID-19 or have been exposed to the virus.
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Yes. The CDC strongly recommends that everyone age 18 and older get a booster shot 5 months after completing their Pfizer or Moderna vaccine course. For those who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the CDC recommends getting a Pfizer or Moderna booster shot 2 months after your dose.
Youth ages 12-17 are eligible to receive the Pfizer booster shot. The CDC recommends that they receive the Pfizer booster shot 5 months after their vaccine course.
Booster shot recommendations continue to be updated. Consult your doctor or check the CDC’s website cdc.gov for more information.
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Yes, you may choose which COVID-19 vaccine you receive as a booster shot. The CDC’s recommendations allow for this type of mix and match dosing for booster shots. However, it is important to note that the CDC recommends that everyone get a Pfizer or Moderna booster even those who have taken the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The Pfizer and Moderna booster shots are preferred due to a serious but extremely rare side effect associated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. As of December 16, 2021, 17.2 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have been given out in the U.S., and out of that number, the CDC has confirmed 57 cases of a condition called Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, which causes blood clots.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusing information. One of the main reasons is that there is a lot of misinformation online that is being targeted at communities of color. Other reasons are that we know more about COVID-19 than we did when the pandemic first began, and also since then, the virus has mutated and each mutation is different and must be studied. It is important to remember that although some information has changed, the most important information has not. What has not changed is that everyone who is eligible should get vaccinated and get a booster shot. You should also wear a mask, practice social distancing, keep getting tested, and wash your hands frequently.
For accurate information about COVID-19, continue to monitor these FAQs and/or check the New Jersey Department of Health or CDC websites.
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Yes. Breastfeeding does not transmit the contents of the vaccine to your baby, however it can transmit the antibodies that are produced by your body to the baby. The breastfed baby of a vaccinated mother gets the benefit of protection against COVID-19 through breast milk without needing to get the shot.
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No. There is no evidence that the vaccines cause infertility in men or issues with fertility or pregnancy in women. In fact, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and other experts recommend that pregnant women get vaccinated. While the vaccines do not cause issues with fertility or pregnancy, it is important for you to know that the COVID-19 virus increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes including preterm birth, stillbirth, and COVID infections in newborns that are serious enough to require admission into the ICU.
Similarly, it has been proven that the COVID-19 virus can cause infertility in men. In some cases, contracting COVID-19 has been found to negatively impact sperm count and stress testicular function. Some men also experience testicular pain and discomfort after contracting COVID. Men are encouraged to get vaccinated in order to protect themselves.
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No. Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson were all approved by the CDC, FDA, and independent medical organizations all over the world. COVID-19 is a coronavirus. The scientific community developed the vaccines based on existing knowledge of other coronaviruses, such as SARS. Research on mRNA vaccines started in the 1990s. The technology used to make the J&J vaccine has been available for several decades.
It is possible to get infected again after having COVID-19. Even if you’ve already had the virus, you should get vaccinated plus get a booster shot because we don’t know how long post-infection immunity lasts. Getting vaccinated is the most effective way to protect yourself, your family, and your loved ones.
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Immunity develops approximately 2 weeks after the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. For the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, only one dose is necessary and immunity develops within 15 days. Maximum immunity develops after a month.
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No. There is no cover up. Unfortunately, there is a lot of dangerous misinformation about the vaccines online and a lot of it is being intentionally directed at communities of color. In fact, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) was formed to keep track of this information and share it with the public. Life threatening adverse side effects from the vaccines are extremely rare and they are shared publicly by the CDC on their website.
However, life threatening adverse side effects from the COVID-19 virus are extremely common and Black and Brown Americans are 3 times more likely to be hospitalized and 2 times more likely to die from the virus. Additionally, as mentioned above, the City of Newark has one of the highest rates of people being hospitalized from COVID-19 in the state. The vaccines are the single most effective way to prevent hospitalization and death from COVID-19.
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The COVID-19 vaccine does not contain the SARS-Co-2 virus, so you cannot get COVID-19 from the vaccine. The vaccines can have side effects, but with very rare exceptions, they are short term and not dangerous. Some people have no side effects. The vaccine developers report that some people experience pain where they were injected, body aches, and headaches and/or fever lasting for a day or 2. These are signs that the vaccine is working to stimulate your immune system. If symptoms persist beyond 2 days, you should call your doctor.
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All of the authorized vaccines provide strong protection against serious illness, hospitalization, and death, and so far, data from the CDC suggests that the authorized vaccines are also effective against the variants. However, the CDC is recommending the Pfizer and Moderna boosters over the Johnson & Johnson booster due to the rare side effect referenced above and below. The most effective way to protect yourself remains getting vaccinated, getting a booster shot, and wearing an N95, KN95, or surgical mask. Handwashing also remains very important.
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As referenced above, as of December 16, 2021, 17.2 million doses have been administered and very few people have experienced complications. Out of the 17.2 million people who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, there are only 57 confirmed cases of blood clots resulting from a condition called Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome. It is important to note that there is a higher risk of developing blood clots from COVID than there is from the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The FDA authorized the use of the Pfizer vaccine for children 5 years of age and older.
The CDC recommends children who are 5 to 11 years old be vaccinated against COVID-19 with the Pfizer pediatric vaccine. The number of children hospitalized from COVID-19 is rising, so getting your children vaccinated is very important.
As referenced above, youth 12 to 17 years old are now eligible to receive the Pfizer booster, which the CDC recommends.
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No. All COVID-19 vaccines work with the body’s natural defenses to safely develop immunity to disease. This is no different than the vaccines that most of us received as children that protect from the measles or the mumps. The vaccines deliver instructions through the messenger proteins (mRNA) to the cells on how to build this protection, but the vaccines never enter the DNA.