Dr. Vincent Hsu, epidemiologist and AdventHealth’s infection control officer, and Dr. Michael Cacciatore, chief medical officer for AdventHealth Medical Group, discussed the latest developments with COVID-19 during this week’s AdventHealth Morning Briefing. The data does not show that the cases will decelerate anytime soon because the Delta variant is a driver of the spread of COVID. Dr. Hsu continues to strongly suggest wearing masks and getting vaccinated, and Dr. Cacciatore discusses the impact of COVID on pregnancies and fertility questions related to the vaccine. Watch the Facebook LIVE video here. 

In an effort to encourage more community vaccinations, members of AdventHealth’s clinical leadership staff is addressing frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccine:

Q: I’m concerned that if I get vaccinated, I’ll be unable to have a child. What affect do the vaccines have on fertility?

A: There’s absolutely no evidence for any connection between the COVID vaccines and fertility – it’s misinformation that’s unfortunately become prevalent on social media. I’d advise women who are interested in one day getting pregnant to take care of themselves and their future health by getting vaccinated. — Dr. Mike Cacciatore, OB-GYN and Chief Medical Officer, AdventHealth Medical Group

Q: It seems the vaccines were developed very quickly. How can we know they are safe?

A: Scientists were very quickly able to sequence the genome of the COVID-19 virus once it emerged, so research began extremely quickly. But the vaccines were developed under stringent scientific and regulatory guidelines, and the usual rigorous review processes have been followed. We now have both clinical trial and post-EUA safety surveillance data that tells us the three vaccines currently in use in the United States are extremely safe and extremely effective.  — Dr. Steven R. Smith, researcher and Chief Scientific Officer

Q: The vaccines have only been in wide use for a year or less. How do we know there won’t be long-term side effects?

A: While these vaccines are new, we know historically that side effects generally happen within six weeks. After millions of COVID-19 vaccinations, no long-term side effects have been detected. Conversely, we do know there can be long-term effects of having COVID-19. “Long-haul” patients can suffer from severe symptoms long after the virus has left their bodies. We can expect to be caring for many of these patients in the years ahead.
— Dr. Victor Herrera, infectious disease specialist and Chief Medical Officer, AdventHealth Orlando

How to Get Vaccinated

With the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccines deemed safe and effective by the FDA’s emergency use authorization (EUA) in December 2020, health care workers and communities across the country are mobilizing to make strides in mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic.

Building upon its initial vaccine rollout to front-line team members, AdventHealth administered tens of thousands of COVID-19 vaccines to front-line health care workers, first responders and people, according to each state’s guidance for vaccine eligibility and as outlined by federal guidance.

“Because each state uses a different model for community distribution, the approach used to prioritize vaccine distribution is tailored to our different locations,” said AdventHealth’s chief medical officer Brent Box, MD. “We are eager to continue supporting these efforts to distribute as many doses as possible.”

To find vaccine locations near you, please text your ZIP code to 438829, call 1-800-232-0233 or visit https://centracare.adventhealth.com/urgent-care/covid-19-vaccines.