We are at war with the COVID-19 virus. Approximately 350,000 Americans have died as a result of illness from this scourge since the pandemic began. By comparison, approximately 420,000 servicemen and women lost their lives during WWII and 58,000 during the Vietnam War. Data strongly supports simple protective measures including wearing masks/face coverings in public, avoiding crowds, frequent hand washing and use of hand sanitizers. It’s a remarkable feat of science and technology that 9 months since the pandemic began, 2 safe and effective FDA-approved vaccines (Pizer/Biontec and Moderna) are being disseminated and several million Americans have received their first doses. Unfortunately, surveys have indicated that a significant percentage of the population is unwilling to take the vaccine. For those with safety concerns, please check the CDC’s website www.cdc.gov for detailed information that addresses this issue. I also suggest reading a short editorial by Kerry Kennedy Meltzer, M.D., an internal medicine resident at New York Presbyterian Hospital that was published last week: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/30/opinion/covid-vaccine-bobby-kennedy.html
Recent reports of rare, facial/lip swelling (3 out of 15,184 participants) noted in the Moderna vaccine trial in participants who previously received fillers should not be a contraindication to vaccination. It appears the virus will be around for a while but we can defeat it. THE COVID VACCINES ARE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE. UNLESS YOU HAVE A MEDICAL CONTRAINDICATION, PLEASE GET VACCINATED AS SOON AS ONE BECOMES AVAILABLE TO YOU.
