DETROIT – Since the coronavirus pandemic began, Dr. Frank McGeorge has been keeping viewers up-to-date and informed on all fronts. He’s been answering your questions about the vaccine, the vaccination process and more.
Read: More answers to questions about coronavirus
Should you get the COVID vaccine if you don’t have a spleen? Is that safe for me?
The COVID vaccines are recommended for people without a spleen. There is no safety concern. What we don’t know is if they have the same level of effectiveness if you don’t have a spleen.
I read that the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is less effective against the new delta variant. I got the Johnson and Johnson vaccine on March 15. Would you suggest looking at getting a Pfizer dose for added protection?
The Pfizer vaccine has about a 33% efficacy after one dose and 83% efficacy after the second dose against the delta variant. There hasn’t been a study specifically looking at the Johnson and Johnson vaccine against the delta variant. We expect it would be somewhere around 60% effective.
While there is information suggesting that a dose of a different vaccine might enhance protection, it’s too early to generalize that into a broad recommendation. If you are at high risk because of age or an immunocompromised condition you should speak with your doctor.
Should children wear masks if together outside?
Masks are not necessary in that situation outside. Right now the overall risk of COVID transmission is low, especially outdoors.
Of the most recent deaths are any of them fully vaccinated or are they all unvaccinated?
The last time the state gave data on breakthrough cases there were 189 deaths in vaccinated people. Out of those 171 were in people 65 or older.
That was out of more than 4.4 million fully vaccinated people at the same point in time. So .004% of fully vaccinated people died of COVID.
If I have MS should I get the vaccine shots?
Yes. There is every reason to believe the vaccine would be of benefit and there is no known risk surrounding MS.