Is vaccination recommended for people recovered from COVID-19?

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On February 3, online edition tvalsazrisi.ge published an article with the title “A T T E N T I O N – why we don’t get a vaccine… not a single confirmed one exists’- Archpriest Basil Akhvlediani“. The article is based on Archpriest Basil Akhvlediani’s Facebook post where he states that he’s against vaccination and justifies his anti-vaxxer position with several reasons. It includes the claim that the vaccine is not 100% safe and there still is a small risk of lethality once you get vaccinated; vaccination is harmful to those who have recovered from COVID-19.

Basil Akhvlediani also states that vaccination shouldn’t be compulsory.

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Archpriest’s claim alleging that vaccination is harmful to people who have recovered from COVID-19 is not true. CDC recommends a vaccine for people who’ve recovered from COVID-19 as well, however, there are vaccines that aren’t necessary if the human body is immune to a disease. As for the statement regarding compulsory vaccination, according to the national COVID-19 vaccination plan authorized by the Georgian government, vaccination will be on a voluntary basis. 

COVID-19 vaccination

Archpriest Basil Akhvlediani writes that vaccine is particularly harmful to those who have already recovered from the disease, however, he doesn’t specify which disease vaccine he refers to. In the case of the COVID-19 vaccine, the vaccine isn’t harmful to those people who’ve already recovered from novel coronavirus. On the contrary,  U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends receiving a vaccine. Current studies show that natural immunity varies from person to person and antibody levels in the body might not last for a long time, which leads to the risk of reinfection. Currently, there’s evidence that 95% of patients produce antibodies two weeks after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms, however, it could fade over time. Latest studies show that antibodies last in the body for at least 6 months. According to the UK Biobank’s report, a major medical database, a study involving 20,000 people with confirmed COVID-19 infection showed that 99% of participants retained antibodies for 3 months, while 88% retained for 6 months.

The only issue that should be taken into consideration per CDC’s information is that if a patient was treated for COVID-19 symptoms with monoclonal antibodies or plasma, the patient should wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. CDC recommends consulting a doctor before the vaccination.

The measles/mumps/rubella vaccination

Besides COVID-19, we can discuss the well-known and major MMR (measles/mumps/rubella) vaccine, which is not necessary for those who have already recovered from infection and are immune to it.  For this, an individual will have to take a blood test determining one’s immunity against measles, mumps, and rubella. Whereas, if an individual does not have immunity against measles, mumps, and rubella, but was in contact with an infected person, one can receive a vaccine following the consultation with a doctor and the vaccine is not harmful.

 

Vaccine safety

Archpriest also manipulates the issue about vaccines not being 100% safe and potentially causing death. For now, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized Pfizer and Moderna vaccines against COVID-19. Therefore, the risk and adverse effects of the vaccines were taken into consideration as well. Studies and later vaccination haven’t revealed vaccine-related fatal outcomes. As for the adverse effects, serious adverse effects are uncommon (<1%) in the case of Pfizer, as well as Moderna.

According to FDA and CDC’s recommendation, Moderna is recommended for people above 18 years of age, while Pfizer is recommended from the age of 16 for all people, excluding the ones with a history of anaphylactic shock, or who are allergic to vaccine ingredients. Moreover, since pregnant and breastfeeding mothers have not participated in trials, FDA recommends such individuals to consult healthcare providers.

Is vaccine compulsory?

Archpriest in his Facebook post also notes that he’s against compulsory action, however according to the Georgian government’s national COVID-19 vaccination plan, vaccination is on a voluntary basis.

False information about compulsory vaccination was also disseminated in June 2020.


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Violation: Disinformation
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