Maryland is receiving nearly 200,000 vaccine doses that will go to front-line hospital workers, first responders, and long-term care facility residents and staff in the state. Some Maryland pharmacies are receiving shipments of the vaccine to administer to nursing home residents and staff through the CDC’s Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program.
To date, two vaccines have received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use: Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. Both are now being distributed in Maryland. Both Pfizer-BioNTech’s and Moderna’s vaccines have been shown to be about 95% effective in preventing symptoms and decreasing severe COVID-19 infection.
The two approved vaccines require two doses of the vaccine. Pfizer’s is administered three weeks apart, and Moderna’s is administered four weeks apart. Both vaccines have shown some minor-to-moderate side effects, including pain, fatigue, headaches, chills, and joint pain. Both approved vaccines are mRNA vaccines, which means that those vaccines work by teaching one’s body to create an immune response to the virus without getting sick with the virus and without putting a weakened or inactivated virus in people’s bodies. The mRNA vaccines do not use the live virus that causes COVID-19, and someone who gets vaccinated cannot get infected with COVID-19 from the vaccination.
Is the COVID-19 Vaccine Safe
Vaccines have to go through a series of clinical trials using participants to determine the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines. The Food and Drug Administration reviews the data to decide whether the vaccine should be approved or authorized for emergency use. Operation Warp Speed is a partnership between the U.S Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Defense. It began at the beginning of the pandemic to develop a COVID-19 vaccine that is safe and effective as quickly as possible. Two additional vaccines are still in development in Phase 3 of clinical trials. The CDC advises that people who have had severe reactions to prior vaccines may still get the COVID-19 vaccines that have been approved, but should discuss the risks with their doctor first.
There is still a limited supply of the vaccines, and not everyone can be vaccinated yet. Maryland is currently in Phase 1 of distribution and focuses on people who are at the highest risk of exposure to or of developing complications from the virus. Phase 2 will focus on other essential workers and people at moderately higher risk of severe illness. Phase 3 will make the vaccination available to the general public.
Maryland Pharmacy Error Lawyers
Patients who have suffered from a pharmacy error may be able to recover compensation for their injuries through a Maryland pharmacy error claim. Victims of pharmacy errors generally need to show that the victim was harmed because a pharmacist or other healthcare professional negligently prescribed, dispensed, or provided medication. The Maryland pharmacy error attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC represent clients in pharmacy error cases in Maryland and the surrounding areas. They seek to hold all responsible parties accountable for causing a victim’s injuries. To schedule a free consultation with Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC, call 1-800-654-1949 or contact them online.