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COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ with Andy Gayle, MD

D. Andrew Gayle, MD
D. Andrew Gayle, MD

In a recent interview with the Wayne County Newspaper, Andy Gayle, MD, physician at Piedmont Physician Associates, a Saint Francis Medical Partner, expressed his answers to frequently asked questions regarding COVID-19 vaccines.

How Do I Know the COVID-19 Vaccine is Safe?

“The vaccines have completed Phase 3 clinical trials involving tens of thousands of participants and have been approved by the FDA. In addition, millions of Americans have received the CPVI-19 vaccines, with the vast majority experiencing minor, temporary side effects.”

Why is a Vaccine Necessary?

“A vaccine is necessary to help you and you community shape a new normal. Stopping a pandemic requires using all the tools available. Vaccines boost your immune system so it will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed. Other steps, like masks and social distancing, help you reduce your chance of being exposed or spreading the virus.”

What Are the Possible Side Effects of a COVID-19 Vaccine?

“After getting vaccinated, you might have some side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection. Common side effects are pain, redness, and swelling in the arm where you received the shot, as well as tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea throughout the body. These side effects could affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a couple of days.”

Can I Get COVID-19 from the Vaccine?

“No. Antigens are parts of germs that cause the body’s immune system to go to work to build antibodies, which fight off disease. The antigens in vaccines come from the germs themselves, but the germs are weakened or killed so they cannot cause serious illness. Even if people receive several vaccinations in one day, vaccines only contain a tiny fraction of the antigens they encounter every day in their environment. Vaccines stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies to fight off serious vaccine-preventable diseases.”

For more information about COVID-19 vaccines, visit our COVID-19 page. To make an appointment with Dr. Gayle or another skilled provider at Piedmont Physician Associates, call 573-223-4233.