COVID-19 Vaccine Safety: How to Answer Questions From Family and Friends
As broader groups of people become eligible to receive inoculation against COVID-19, some are reluctant to get the vaccine because of uncertainty about its safety or cultural or religious concerns. Others are eager to get their shots and want to encourage others who may be hesitating.
To answer concerns some people have about the vaccines, Einstein Perspectives spoke with two experts:
- Steven L. Sivak, MD, President of Einstein Physicians Philadelphia and Chair of the Vaccine Task Force of Einstein Healthcare Network
- Eric Sachinwalla, MD, Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Control for Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia.
Below, they offer facts about safety of currently available vaccines against the virus that causes COVID-19, and suggestions about how to respond to questions and concerns that your friends or family members may have.
Einstein Healthcare Network has started providing the COVID-19 vaccine to the community.
Check the vaccine page on our website for updates.
Alexis Lindsey
When will your doctor’s offices be able to give Covid-19 vaccine shot?
Lisa Ellis
Einstein Healthcare Network is offering the vaccine at a number of sites. Please visit our vaccine page at https://www.einstein.edu/covidvaccine for the latest information.
b
So there were no questions or suggestions for those who are not going to get it for religious or philosophical reasons. My suggestion is to provide people with information and do not try to persuade or convince people to get the vaccine but let people make their own informed decisions. If they choose not to get the vaccine, we must also accept their choice without condemnation or shaming them.
We must also realize that those the vaccines are authorize for emergency use, the paperwork given to patients states that the FDA has approve the vaccines but granted an emergency declaration for use.
We will get through this but we have to be respectful of everyone’s choices. For profit medicine has added to the distrust some people have about our medical system today. We need to revamp the system back to one as a non-profit and service oriented.