Events Committee
The Events Committee aims to strengthen VLC membership and create a cohesive experience through planning and executing a number of social, educational, and networking events. This committee has the opportunity to connect with clubs across campus and host various collaborations.
Committee Highlights:
UBC VLC X UBC PATHS Trivia Night, which featured trivia, drinks, and more at Koerner Pub at UBC
UBC VLC X SUS X BEST AI & Biotechnology in Healthcare Speaker Panel featuring three subject matter experts discussing topics ranging from the most impactful advances in biotechnology to AI in vaccine development.
Answered questions:
What are some of the recommended vaccines?
Canada has officially approved 6 vaccines:
The baseline is that any vaccine is better than no vaccine. This variety allows people who are allergic or have limitations to get one to have more options available. Medicago Covifenz COVID-19 vaccine is an example. This is the first plant based virus like particle vaccine, with a 71% effectiveness in protecting 18 to 64 people against COVID-19.
With that being said, some of the vaccines are more effective than others. The mRNA vaccines - Pfizer’s Corminaty and Mordena’s Spikevax vaccines offer the most protection after two doses compared to one dose of viral vector-based vaccines, and the Pfizer vaccine has been approved for children aged 5 and older now. However, viral vector-based vaccine and mRNA vaccine combinations can be just as effective as two mRNA shots.
Is one vaccine better than the others? Which one would be the best to get?
Of the 6 approved vaccines by the Canadian government, Mordena and Pfizer were the most effective vaccines at 94.1% and 95% effectiveness for aged 16 to 18 and above, and are 100% effective for children aged 12 to 15. The other two vaccines (Astrazeneca and Johnson & Johnson), which are viral vector-based vaccines, are less effective at 62% and 66% respectively. These two vaccines are also only approved for people aged 18 or above. It’s important to note that according to clinical studies, people who got Astrazeneca or J&J as their first dose, and an mRNA vaccine as their second dose are just as immune as those who got two mRNA shots.
The effectiveness % values were obtained from the official gov. Of Canada website, and do not take into consideration variants, dates, time after the shot, time between two shots for mRNA vaccines etc. These numbers are subject to change constantly as we gather more data and learn more about the pandemic.
Should there be any concerns we should consider before getting the vaccine?
If you don’t have a history of allergic reactions to vaccines, and aren’t immunocompromised, you should be prepared for side effects akin to a mild common cold infection, along with soreness on your arm. Ideally, you want the next one or two days after vaccination to be relatively chill; you can exercise but try to avoid rigorous activities.
If you have a history of allergic reactions or are immunocompromised, we recommend you talk to your healthcare provider about how to best approach the situation. They may recommend you to take an additional booster dose, which you definitely should!
Is it a guarantee that we will be safe from covid-19 after getting the vaccine?
COVID-19 vaccines have been designed to protect you from developing severe complications, hospitalization and even death. In order to do so, they gradually build up resistance and memory against the virus, this lowers your viral load when infected. This decrease in viremia help you to be safe and be less contagious. Some vaccines may offer up to 95% of protection against severe COVID-19 when fully vaccinated. The fully vaccinated status criteria for each vaccine varies depending on emerging strains, and its efficacy to help you achieve maximum protection.
How long does vaccine protection against covid-19 last?
Scientists have evidence that Pfizer and Mordena vaccines are still effective after 6 months. A study by The Lancet found that the effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine dropped from 95% to 47% after the first 5 months, and a study by the New England Journal of Medicine found that the effectiveness of Mordena’s vaccine barely dropped, at 93% effectiveness after 5 months. Booster shots help you to recover and even gain extra protection.
Just because their effectiveness rates declined, doesn’t mean they stop working. The vaccines are still effective at minimizing the damage caused by the virus if we do get infected and will likely prevent major illness and hospitalization. However, as time passes, a 3rd booster shot may be recommended. As more data comes in from new and recent studies including new variants these results might differ and new vaccination strategies might be required.
What are some of the side effects of the vaccine?
There will be side effects, that’s okay though - it’s normal; that’s just your immune system getting stimulated and revving up. Common side effects include redness and swelling at the site of injection, as well as mild headaches, joint pain, tiredness, and maybe a little fever. These side effects typically start to appear a few hours after vaccination, and they can last from hours to days. The side effects from the second dose are typically more pronounced than the first dose, that’s normal too!
Rarely, more severe allergic reactions can happen, which is why we are recommended to stay at the clinic for 15 to 30 minutes in case anything bad happens. If you have had allergic reactions to previous vaccinations or are immunocompromised, please let your vaccinator know.
Sources:
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02183-8
www.doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2113017
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/vaccines.html
Why do we need to get two doses of the vaccine and not only one?
The first dose first elicits an immune response and helps your immune system recognize the virus. The second dose helps strengthen your immune system’s response against the virus and makes sure your body is as ready as it can be if you really get infected. The second dose is often called a booster shot because it boosts your immune system’s defences against the virus. A lot of vaccines
What is a booster shot and why might we have to get one?
Booster shots (commonly known as the second shot) are another dose of the vaccine after the initial shot that is meant to amplify your immune system’s response against the virus. You’ve probably gotten booster shots for diseases like Hepatitis B, MMR and Polio, so it's very likely that a second booster shot for COVID-19 is on the horizon. In fact, according to the CDC, people over the age of 65, or those with medical conditions are already eligible for another booster shot 6 months after the second dose.
Can our two doses be different (i.e. the first dose is Moderna and second dose is Pfizer?) Why or why not?
It’s okay to mix and match the two vaccines, you can get Mordena as the first dose and Pfizer as the second, or vice versa. Both brands of vaccines operate nearly identically and stimulate the immune system in the same way. You can get an mRNA second dose even if your first shot was J&J or Astrazeneca! The authorization of mixing vaccinations in Canada may even be beneficial for people who don’t have access to one of the vaccines, and allows us to get fully vaccinated as soon as possible.
Why do we still have to wear masks even after we are fully vaccinated?
Social distancing, masking and vaccinations don’t guarantee immunity to the virus, but we can take ALL the safety precautions to keep ourselves and others around us as protected as possible. Social distancing lowers the chances of you coming in contact with the virus in the air, the masks prevent the virus from gaining access to your noses and respiratory system. Even if they manage to get into the lungs, the vaccines have already made sure that the immune system is ready for the virus and is able to eliminate the threat in no time.
Not everyone is vaccinated yet, and we should do our best to protect those who haven’t gotten their vaccinations. Vaccinated people can still get asymptomatic infections, which means you have the virus, but you exhibit no symptoms. The virus (SARS-CoV-2) is also known to mutate quite frequently, and our current vaccines may be less effective against strains like the delta variant, so it’s best to keep our masks on to add another layer of protection.