COVID-19

How to get a COVID-19 Test:

There are many ways to get a COVID test. We offer rapid antigen testing here at our office, you can book this via appointment by calling 617-732-1318. Please keep in mind that if you have been exposed to a COVID positive patient, you must wait 5 days post exposure for an accurate test. If you have symptoms, you must have a PCR test done and follow the quarantine guidelines below until you get a negative result. If you have any questions, call your provider and let them know what's going on. They can put in an order for you at a testing facility nearby. Additionally, you can go to a local clinic or urgent care for testing, or you may find the CIC Health testing option below to be very convenient. 

COVID-19 Vaccine Updates:

Brigham and Women's Physician Group

As communicated last week, Mass General Brigham does not have any additional vaccine for first doses. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts informed us on February 11 that vaccine will no longer be distributed to any Massachusetts hospitals, except as needed for the second dose vaccination. The only sites that will receive additional vaccine are clinics operated by cities and towns, local pharmacies and the state.
 
For employees who have not scheduled a first COVID-19 vaccine dose, please visit the state's website for information about how to make an appointment at a state vaccination location. All health care workers are eligible to receive the vaccine and are considered part of the state’s Phase 1 vaccination plan. Visit the COVID-19 Vaccine Finder to search

Information for patients: Patients who are over 65 years of age; residents and staff of affordable senior housing; and Individuals 16 years of age and older with two or more certain medical conditions, may now schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment online through the state or by calling 2-1-1.

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Lown Cardiology Group Physicians

We realize the flood of information regarding approval of COVID-19 vaccines is both hopeful and overwhelming. Below you’ll find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we’re hearing from patients regarding safety, efficacy and distribution of the recently approved Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, and the Moderna vaccine. Please keep in mind that the situation is fluid and what is shared now can change. Distribution is being handled by local governments.

We recommend checking these websites regularly for the latest information:

Massachusetts Department of Public Health

FDA COVID-19 Updates

CDC Vaccine Updates

COVID-19 Health Literacy Project

Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe?

Experience with the Pfizer vaccine is limited, but enough for the CDC to approve it for use. It is not a live virus, so you cannot catch COVID-19 from it. There have been a few significant allergic reactions, primarily in individuals with a history of serious allergic reactions in the past. Most common side effects experienced were pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site, fever, fatigue, headache, or muscle and joint pain. It is advised not to plan to work the day after the immunization. No other major safety events were noted but may become apparent as more people are immunized. These side effects may be more prominent than what is experienced after a flu shot, but they are not dangerous and indicate the vaccine is activating the body’s immune response.

How do these vaccines work?

These vaccines use mRNA to direct our cells to make a harmless piece of the “spike protein” found on the surface of the coronavirus. This triggers an immune response, producing protective antibodies to fight off the virus if it should enter our bodies. For additional information on how these vaccines were developed, you may want to read this recently published interview with vaccine expert Dr. Paul Offit.

Is the vaccine effective, and for how long?

Preliminary reports from Pfizer and Moderna indicate their vaccines are highly effective but it is not yet known for how long. The vaccine has been shown to start working within 10-14 days of receiving the first dose. Studies have measured antibodies that persist for at least several months after vaccination, but this is not the only way disease is prevented. Studies are ongoing to determine how long these vaccines provide protection.

How many vaccine doses do I need and will it need to be repeated every year, like the flu shot?

The first vaccines will require two doses separated by at least three or four weeks depending upon which vaccine you receive. At this time, it is not known if follow-up vaccinations will be required for COVID-19, as they are for influenza. Studies are in progress to answer this question.

Once I am vaccinated, can I still spread COVID-19 to others?

We know the vaccine protects against symptomatic and severe disease with COVID-19. It is not yet known whether it is possible for someone who has been vaccinated to still acquire and spread COVID-19 to others. That is why it will remain essential to continue to wear a mask, avoid crowds, practice physical distancing, and wash your hands until broad public immunity is achieved.

If I have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past, should I get the vaccine?

Yes, you should be vaccinated even if you previously had COVID-19 and have recovered. It’s unclear how long immunity lasts after the COVID-19 infection and it may vary by individual.

Can I take the vaccine if I have a weakened immune system as a result of receiving chemotherapy or taking immunosuppressive medication?

To date, no problems have been seen to suggest that immunosuppressed individuals should not take the vaccine.

We will update you via email and website postings as further vaccine information becomes available. As always, we encourage you to call our office with questions or concerns. We are grateful for the opportunity to guide, advise and care for you during this challenging period, and look forward to better times just ahead. Please continue to wear masks, social distance and avoid group gatherings.

Delta Variant Update

Dear Patients:

It’s been some time since our last COVID update, and while we all hoped it would be in the rearview mirror by now, the situation continues to raise concerns. This email addresses some of the questions we’re hearing most frequently, using the most current research available…but as has been true in the past, COVID knowledge and recommendations are ever-changing. Please continue to check our website, the state health department website and look for email updates from me when there is additional news of importance to share.



If I am vaccinated, can I still catch COVID-19?

Yes, and the delta variant is likely responsible for the cases of COVID among the vaccinated. This variant is highly contagious, and is spread more easily than other strains of COVID. The vaccines significantly reduce the severity of your illness and the risk of dying from COVID, but do not block infection. Please take additional precautions if you are in a high-risk group or in regular contact with high-risk family members and friends. Current data shows 95% of hospitalized COVID patients are unvaccinated and breakthrough cases in the vaccinated are primarily immunocompromised individuals.

What is the impact of being unvaccinated?

The delta variant appears to be more dangerous than the prior strains and even if you are healthy, catching this variant if unvaccinated is not a risk you should take. Currently, the national average age of those who are hospitalized is 42 years old. Consider that without enough people vaccinated, the virus will continue to circulate, evolve and create new mutations, and eventually reach almost every person without immunity. A largely unvaccinated population is similar to having an infection in your body and only taking a half dose of antibiotic. Not only will the infection persist, but it will become resistant to treatment. The fear is that new strains may be produced that can prove deadly to vulnerable populations, including children. I strongly recommend you get one of the available vaccines as soon as possible for yourself, and for the community. Until you do, please continue to practice social distancing and masking in high-risk situations.

Are booster shots recommended?

At this time, the FDA and CDC are investigating the safety and groups that should be targeted, with recommendations expected in early September. We know that the vaccines administered in the US are doing a good job against severe illness and hospitalizations. You can protect yourself MORE by convincing an unvaccinated person to get vaccinated than by getting a booster. Vaccinating everyone is the way to decrease the spread and mutation of this dangerous virus, and it’s why the World Health Organization has just requested a moratorium on booster shots - to allow for sufficient quantities of vaccines to reach other nations where the majority of people have not yet received a first dose.

Should children get the COVID vaccine?

While it’s understandable that parents may be hesitant to give their child a new vaccine, evidence continues to point to the benefits outweighing the risks. Although children may not get sick as often as adults from COVID, hospitals across the country are reporting serious illness and prolonged recoveries in thousands of young COVID patients, including some who did not have underlying medical conditions. The American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending that all children and adolescents 12 and over get vaccinated who do not have contraindications for the vaccine. Side effects will occur in some children, but these are expected to be rare and most will be temporary. For children under 12, vaccine trials are still in progress to determine the safest dosage; approval will likely come toward the end of 2021.

Where do we go from here?

Continue to go to work, pursue your daily activities and travel with a prudent approach. Wearing masks when indicated (N95 providing more protection than cloth or surgical masks), social distancing, staying outdoors, and frequent handwashing remain highly effective measures.

Our office remains open for all appointments, and telemedicine visits are also available if you prefer.

Demand for COVID-19 testing in our area has risen substantially as people head back to work, school and other activities. As a convenience for patients, we continue to offer the rapid Quidel tests in our office…please call us if you need one.

Stay well, and don’t hesitate to reach out at any time should you have questions about your individual health situation.

Sincerely,

Dara Lee Lewis, MD 

Additional reading:

NY Times_COVID delta variant safety 8.4.21

New England Journal of Medicine COVID-19 Vaccine Resource Center