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Good News On COVID-19 Vaccines, But Safe Practices Still Needed

By Bob Zaltsberg

Posted February 23, 2021

Covid 19 Vaccine

(Adam Pinsker WTIU/WFIU)

IU Health South Central Region Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dan Handel said he is cautiously optimistic about new data about lower infection rates, hospitalizations and deaths coming out about the COVID-19 pandemic.

He’s also upbeat about some studies that show the vaccine may decrease your risk of transmitting the virus.

 “We knew it decreased your risk of having a serious infection,” Handel said Tuesday, “but some of the studies now with Pfizer are very encouraging that it is decreasing your risk of transmission as well.”

He said he is also optimistic about warmer weather will allow people to get together outside comfortably at safe distances.

But as Hoosiers and others continue to get vaccinated against COVID-19, he said it is not time to stop practicing protective measures that have been in place since last spring.

 “I still don’t think we’re going to be in a world in the near future where near-universal masking is not needed,” he said. “As you know, we’re not even close to getting to 70 or 90 percent or whatever you define as herd immunity, but we’re not even close to that.“

Besides masking, he reminded everyone to stay six feet apart and wash your hands often.

South Central Region that includes IU Health Bloomington and Paoli hospitals has vaccinated 35,000 people as of Tuesday afternoon.

Handel said IU Health’s area vaccination clinics completed the move to just the Pfizer vaccine, which must be stored in specialty equipment at 70 degrees below zero. County health departments, Kroger and other vaccination clinics will mostly carry the Moderna vaccine.

The two-shot regimens for Pfizer and Moderna each result in the same effectiveness – about 95 percent efficacy against the virus. And those who still get COVID-19 are protected against serious illness and death.

Handel said recent studies have shown the Pfizer vaccine is about 70 percent effective after the first dose. He noted the influenza vaccine usually is closer to 50 percent effective against whatever strain of flu hits in a particular winter.  

 

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