Has anyone died from a COVID vaccine?

We are answering your questions about the coronavirus vaccines and what we need to do next. Submit your question using this form or email Lois Solomon at AskLois@ sunsentinel.com.

Q. “How many people have died from taking the COVID-19 vaccine?” John Silberman

As of Nov. 1, 9,367 COVID vaccine-related deaths were submitted to the CDC’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). That’s 0.0022% of the 423 million doses given out in the United States.

But VAERS has proven to be an imperfect source of information. Health care providers are required to report deaths after vaccination to VAERS even if there’s no direct link to a vaccine, and average citizens also can submit information. So it’s a jumble the CDC warns should be analyzed by statistical professionals.

Widely shared reports on social media have said 150,000 people have died from COVID vaccines. But Reuters Fact Check rated these statements as false.

The only causal link that’s emerged so far between vaccines and deaths has occurred in some women who took the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. In April, the CDC reported three deaths from a rare blood-clotting disorder among women 18 to 49 who got the single-dose J&J. The CDC halted J&J shots April 13 but approved their resumption 10 days later, saying their advantages outweighed their potential dangers.

Q. “My wife and I retired in November 2019. I have received the vaccine and my wife is against the vaccine because she says it is unproven. She has taken to social media and been led down the rabbit hole of misinformation.

I love my wife and can not figure out how to deal with the fact that we are unable to travel to the places we talked about traveling to. I do not want to travel alone, and I am tired of waiting to see if the COVID-19 restrictions are going to be lifted.

I know there are many places within the lower 48 states that I can travel to. But prior to COVID we talked about going on a cruise and also making a trip back to Ireland to visit our ancestors’ homesteads.

I do not want to negotiate with her because she starts crying and says I am bullying her. The only logical thought I have had is to go our separate ways. But I know in my heart that is not the right answer.” — Michael

A. COVID-19 has upended so many travel plans, mine included. Your story really struck a chord in me about all we have been through and how we may not emerge from this anytime soon.

I asked Karyn Rosenberg, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist in Boca Raton, what she would recommend that you do. Here’s what she said:

“I would help this couple navigate these difficulties from a place of love and partnership first. Negotiation and compromise can help improve communication to find greater peace. Acknowledge underlying emotions and keep the dialogue open to help reduce the intensity. Sometimes, having a professional who can remain objective can help the couple find better ways to really listen to one another.”

At the moment, the CDC’s advice is to “avoid travel to Ireland” anyway because the COVID-19 levels are very high. As you begin to work this out with your wife, find places you can travel to that you can both agree on and that will let you both in. You can go almost anywhere in the United States. Modify your expectations about what a “dream trip” is and I bet you will discover places that will satisfy your wanderlust.

Q. “I am a Canadian who owns a condo in Coconut Creek. I am planning on flying to Florida Dec. 6. I have had my two Pfizer vaccines. The second one was on June 5. Will I be able to get the Pfizer booster? If yes, will I be charged for it?” — Rosa Rudick

You can get your shot here, and there’s no cost. COVID-19 vaccines in Florida are available to “full-time and seasonal residents,” according to the Florida Department of Health.

“Additionally, anyone in the state for the purpose of providing goods or services is also eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Florida,” according to the department.

Many people from foreign countries are getting their boosters here, even those who don’t own property and are just visiting. Few questions are being asked of anyone arriving at a pharmacy for a shot. You can find a list of sites that offer appointments or allow you to walk in at SunSentinel.com/coronavirus

Q. “I was vaccinated with Pfizer shots in January and February and had COVID in August. Symptoms are mostly gone. Can I get COVID again?” — Ali Burney, Tamarac

Yes, but it’s unlikely, said Dr. Geeta Nayyar, an associate professor at the University of Miami specializing in rheumatology and chronic diseases.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you should have immunity from re-infection for at least six months after the virus hits. And having been vaccinated, you have even more protection. Still, a new variation could emerge and all bets are off.

“It is possible to get COVID again but the fact that you are vaccinated makes it much less likely,” Nayyar said. “Breakthrough infections are possible but limited in those that have been vaccinated. Talk with your doctor about whether you are eligible for a booster.”

Q. I’m 75. I got the two Pfizer vaccine shots in March. I got a breakthrough case of COVID in August and received monoclonal antibodies within three days of symptoms. I am now fully recovered. Do I need to get a booster? If so, when?” — Bill, Tampa

A. Because of your age, you are eligible for the booster. But don’t run out to the pharmacy just yet. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that anyone treated with monoclonal antibodies wait three months before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. So if you had the treatment in August, you should wait until at least November to get your booster.

Q. “Palm Beach County has ended its COVID-19 state of emergency. That implies that buildings could remove their mask rules. But should our condo building base our decision, as does the CDC, on “Community Transmission” (and positivity is just one aspect of community transmission), and not specifically on positivity (which does vary based on who collects the data)? The CDC is reporting a 4.35% transmission rate for Palm Beach County while the state health department reports 3.4% (as of Oct. 26).” — Alan, Boca Raton

It would be great to have some consistency, wouldn’t it? That would make it easier to bring life back to normal. But if you want to follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, here are the five factors to consider as you decide whether to take off the masks in your condo building:

1. Look at the community transmission rate (levels over 5% are considered “too high.”) 2. Is the health system overloaded past its capacity? 3. What percentage of the population is vaccinated? 4. Are the health systems able to widely test for new COVID19 cases? 5. How big are the populations at increased risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19?

Even as positivity rates continue to decline, the CDC still recommends that fully vaccinated people wear masks in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission. According to Dr. Joanna Drowos, an associate professor of family medicine at Florida Atlantic University, substantial transmission is a positivity rate between 8% and 10%, and high transmission is a positivity rate of 10% or higher.

“When there is a discrepancy, the CDC recommends using the higher metric, although in this case both numbers are below the ‘substantial’ threshold,” Drowos said.

Drowos recommends that everyone wear a mask in public indoor settings, regardless of transmission level, if they or someone in their household is at increased risk for severe disease or if someone in their household is unvaccinated, including children under 12 who are currently ineligible for a vaccine.

Q. “I had an antibodies test (months after receiving two Pfizer shots), and the number was 7.6. However, I can’t find any explanation for what that means.” — Sharon Kersten, Wilton Manors

A. Unfortunately many of our local doctors are anti-antibody tests and would not answer this question.

“Test results from currently authorized SARSCoV-2 antibody tests should not be used to evaluate a person’s level of immunity or protection from COVID19,” said Dr. Geeta Nayyar, an associate professor at the University of Miami. “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reminding the public and health care providers that results from currently authorized antibody tests should not be used to evaluate a person’s level of immunity or protection from COVID-19 at any time, and especially after the person received a COVID-19 vaccination.”

Dr. Hila Beckerman of Delray Beach agreed.

“As of now, we don’t really recommend antibody testing as a way of directing your care because even if you have some antibodies after vaccination or disease, you should still get vaccinated or receive the booster,” she said. “This is because you don’t know when the level will wane low enough to not really be protective anymore for you as an individual. Most labs will give you a reference number, above which you are considered to be ‘protected’ but the number per se is not very indicative of what would happen should you become re-infected.”

Antibody levels are only one measure of how you will fight a COVID-19 attack. Your immune cell levels are another important component, and they’re not measured in the antibody test.

I was disappointed about all this because I’ve been wanting to get an antibody test, too, to see if I really need a booster. But this is one of those situations where health officials are afraid people will become too dependent on the technology and ignore their warnings about how to stay safe. According to the FDA: “If antibody test results are interpreted incorrectly, there is a potential risk that people may take fewer precautions against SARS-CoV-2 exposure.”