Ask the Pharmacist: Fall vaccines

Q. What are the recommendations this fall for seasonal vaccines? Do we really need to be getting another Covid-19 vaccine?

A. That is a very good question and warrants discussion. Many of us were not afraid to bare our arms to protect not only ourselves but also those around us years ago. Now, six plus years later, many are asking if we still need to do so.

Covid-19 is here to stay, much like the influenza virus. Both appear to mutate into new variants and thus the need for updated vaccines. For many of us, if we do contract Covid-19 or influenza, we may feel very unwell and might miss a day or a few days of work or school but should not require medical intervention. Those same people that would likely fare well with the virus may also have loved ones that may not fair as well if they were to get sick with the variety of seasonal viruses that circulate. These loved ones could include the elderly, the very young, those with suppressed immune systems among others.

We understand that vaccine fatigue is out there as well as vaccine hesitancy. We also have seen individuals post negative information about the “c” (Covid) vaccine and how harmful it is to your body with all of the side effects associated with it. These individuals are fearmongering the public against vaccines. This article is not aimed to change the minds of these people but rather to educate those of you that may read/listen and perhaps be influenced by them. We want you to make your own informed choice. Regarding vaccine safety, the vaccines that are available today have been cleared by Health Canada and deemed safe and effective. For those of you who are still skeptical, we encourage you to ask questions and discuss your concerns with a trusted healthcare professional

Let’s use Covid-19 vaccines as one of the seasonal vaccines to describe the possible adverse effects of and compare it to the adverse effect of getting the illness.

Common adverse effects of covid vaccines:

· At injection site; redness, soreness, swelling
· Chills, fatigue, headache, tiredness, mild fever, aches Allergic reactions can happen to         ANY medication and are rare.
Rare but serious adverse effects of covid vaccines:
· Bell’s Palsy
· Blood clots
· Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS)
· Myocarditis
· Pericarditis
· Capillary leak syndrome

When you see the possible serious adverse effects that can occur, it is understandable that you might think twice about getting the vaccine. Perhaps you think you would rather get Covid-19 than risk any of these, especially since Covid-19 appears to be nothing more than a cold. However, did you know that the virus itself can cause harm to your body?

Let us now discuss the symptoms that you might experience if you get the Covid-19 illness

Common symptoms of the Covid virus:

· Dry cough, shortness of breath, stuffy or runny nose
· Fever, chills, fatigue
· Loss of smell and/or taste
· Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
· Brain fog

Some more serious symptoms that require medical attention:
· Trouble breathing
· Grey/blue skin, lips or nail beds
· New or different confusion
· Extreme drowsiness
· Chest pain

Further complications that can cause damage to the body can occur from a Covid-19 illness:

Once you recover from the illness, some people experience Long Covid or Post-Covid-19 syndrome weeks or even months afterwards. There are many symptoms associated with Long Covid but a few of them are:

· Extreme fatigue
· Continued brain fog
· Long-lasting loss of smell and/or taste
· Sleep disorders
· Fast/irregular heartrate
· Headache
· New digestive issues
· Mood disorders such as anxiety/ depression
· Stroke
· Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS)
· Fibromyalgia
· Diabetes
· High cholesterol

Yes, there is a very small risk of having an adverse effect from the vaccine, but as you can see, there is also a risk of having serious effects from the virus itself. As pharmacists, we have seen many cases of Long-Covid in our community.

For those of you that are still concerned about the possible side effects from the vaccines, a question we have for you is how pure is your lifestyle?

· Do you smoke?
>There are about 600 ingredients in ONE cigarette and when they are lit up, they                     create more than 7,000 chemicals!

· Do you consume alcohol?
> Alcohol is a group 1 carcinogen
> A review done in 2001 shows there is not a safe level of alcohol consumption                           regarding cancer risk

· Do you use cannabis?
> There are more than 500 chemical compounds in cannabis

· Do you eat fast foods?
> Along with the possible antibiotics found in many fast food meat, there are added chemicals such as artificial food dyes, sodium nitrite, titanium dioxide, to name just a few of the possible dozens added to your quick meal
> Not only is the food something to be concerned with, but the packaging could have polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) which are linked to reproductive, developmental, liver, kidney, immune function and metabolic effects.

· Do you eat prepared foods?
> Look at your list of ingredients of your next boxed frozen meal you purchased and see if you know all of the ingredients let alone able to pronounce them

This column is not about shaming those who like to enjoy a glass of wine or grab a quick prepared meal now and again. We know that life gets busy and stressful. The point here is more to enlighten how we do not think twice about the list of chemicals and/or potentially harmful ingredients in foods/beverages we already consume and enjoy.

There are two reasons to consider getting the Covid-19 vaccine this fall. First, the vaccines this fall help to protect against the more recent variant of concern (VOC) called XFG. Secondly, it is speculated that protection begins to wane around 4 to 6 months after vaccination or illness with Covid-19 so you would no longer be protected with last year’s vaccine or illness.

Who and when should receive Covid-19 and influenza vaccines?

On October 26th, all individuals 6 months of age and older may receive both Covid-19 and influenza vaccines. High risk individuals may receive their vaccine anytime and do not need to wait until October 26th . That may be easier said than done, however. Though there is a vaccine campaign encouraging people to get vaccinated, the influenza vaccine supply sent to many pharmacies is only 5-10% of the total doses given in years past with reorder dates weeks away. That is hardly enough doses to get the general public protected against influenza in a timely manner. We ask for your patience as we try to navigate the limited supplies being delivered to pharmacies. Believe us when we say we are just as frustrated as you are.

Covid-19 vaccine: There are two mRNA vaccines (Spikevax and Comirnaty) and one non-mRNA vaccine (Nuvaxovid) available this fall. However, participating pharmacies are sent a Covid-19 vaccine supply and we are unable to request a certain brand.

Influenza vaccine: There are five vaccines available this season. As usual, there are two dedicated to only those people 65 years of age and older (Fluzone High-Dose and Fluad). The other three (Fluviral, Fluzone, and Flucelvax) can be administered to anyone 6 months of age and older. Similar to Covid-19 vaccines, many pharmacies are sent a supply and are not able to choose which vaccines.

If supplies allow and you are wanting to get both vaccines on the same day, know that is safe and encouraged to do so. In fact, if you have not yet been vaccinated against some of the other seasonal threats such as pneumonia or respiratory syncytial virus/RSV (these are not annual vaccines), it is possible to get up to 4 vaccines administered on the same day. However, you may need to clarify that your pharmacy has the staff to accommodate this as that would take up considerably more time.

For more information on this or any other health related topic, contact your pharmacist.