Helping stop the pandemic

Wearing masks and face shields and social distancing help reduce our risk of being exposed to the virus or spreading it to others. However, these measures alone will not be enough. We need to get vaccinated. Vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) will train our immune system so it will be ready to fight the virus if we were exposed to it. (See “Benefits of Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine,” Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention, updated April 12, 2021.)

This year’s theme for

World Immunization Week

(WIW) — “Vaccines Bring

Us Closer” — has never been truer than today. WIW is celebrated every last week of April to promote vaccination as a means to help protect people of all ages against vaccine-preventable diseases. While immunization is known as one of the world’s most successful health interventions, nearly 20 million children globally are not getting their vaccines while many adolescents, adults, and elderly miss out on their vaccinations.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), strong confidence in the vaccines within communities leads to more people getting vaccinated, which leads to fewer COVID-19 illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths. (See “Building Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, March 1, 2021.) If people are vaccinated, there are higher chances that families would need not be separated due to hospitalization.

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations provides answers to some of the frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccines.

DO I NEED TO GET VACCINATED FOR COVID-19 IF I’VE HAD COVID-19 AND RECOVERED?

It may be recommended to get a vaccine even if you had COVID-19. Scientists have not yet figured out how much protection people have after recovering from a COVID-19 infection, or how long the protection may last. Some early studies suggest that immunity after natural infection may fade more quickly in certain people, especially if you have had mild or no symptoms. The data that is currently available suggests that a symptomatic reinfection within 6 months after an initial infection is rare. Therefore, people who have already had COVID-19 may choose to delay vaccination until near the end of this period. When more data on the duration of immunity after natural infection become available, the length of this time period may be revised. If you have concerns, talk to your doctor about whether or not you should get a COVID-19 vaccine.

I HAVE A LOW CHANCE OF HAVING SEVERE COVID-19 ILLNESS AND SYMPTOMS. SHOULD I GET A VACCINE?

Anyone, at any age, can get sick with COVID-19 and become potentially seriously ill or die. While vaccine supplies are limited, public health authorities have prioritized people with the highest risk of exposure to COVID-19, and severe illness from it, to get the vaccine first. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), people at high risk include (1) people aged 60 years and over; and (2) people with a high chance of having serious illness from COVID-19 including those with long-term medical problems like high blood pressure, heart and lung problems, diabetes, obesity, or cancer.

SHOULD I GET A COVID-19 VACCINE IF I’M PREGNANT?

For the moment, based on what we know about the currently authorized or approved vaccines, the WHO and CDC say they do not have any specific reason to believe there will be specific risks that would outweigh the benefits of vaccination for pregnant women. For this reason, those pregnant women at high risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 (e.g., health workers) or who have comorbidities which add to their risk of severe disease, may be vaccinated in consultation with their doctor. Vaccine makers and regulatory agencies are carefully tracking what happens to women in the clinical trials who become pregnant and pregnant women who decided to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Pregnant women may be included in future clinical trials. If you are pregnant and have concerns, talk to your doctor about whether or not you should get a COVID-19 vaccine.

WHO SHOULD NOT GET A COVID-19 VACCINE?

Most people will be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it’s time for their priority group to get it. However, there is currently no COVID-19 vaccine authorized or approved for children under the age of 16 years. If you have had a serious allergic reaction in the past to medicines, vaccines, or food, you should talk to your doctor before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. You and your doctor will need to consider the possible risks of infection versus the benefits of getting a vaccine. If you have concerns, talk to your doctor about whether or not you should get a COVID-19 vaccine.

SHOULD CHILDREN GET A COVID-19 VACCINE?

Currently, no authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine can be given to children under the age of 16 years. This is because the data from clinical trials in children under the age of 16 years is not yet available. Some vaccine manufacturers are currently studying the vaccine in younger populations, and so agebased recommendations may change in the future.

On the occasion of the World Immunization Week, we join our partners in the global call to increase confidence in vaccination, and to increase investment for vaccination to help protect the lives of children, adults and the elderly.

TEODORO B. PADILLA is the executive director of the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP).

PHAP represents the biopharmaceutical medicines and vaccines industry in the country. Its Members are in the forefront of research and development efforts for COVID-19 and other diseases that affect Filipinos.