Our union derives our strength from the unity and engagement of tens of thousands of rank and file healthcare workers across Pennsylvania. As your Executive Board, we are frontline caregivers who have been elected by our co-workers to represent our workplaces. In our commitment to you, we have formed the Executive Board COVID Response Committee to provide regular updates and keep you informed about the COVID-19 vaccine.
Last week, thousands of frontline caregivers from across Pennsylvania provided feedback on our COVID-19 Vaccine Survey. 40% of us are ready to get the vaccine, and 25% want more information.
Here is what we know: Early data shows the vaccine is safe and effective.
The most commonly reported side effects were pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, and fever. These side effects tend to be more common and more severe after the second injection (source). In Moderna’s phase 3 vaccine trials, about 10 percent of participants experienced fatigue, roughly 9 percent reported muscle aches and about 5 percent had joint pain and headaches. Pfizer’s phase 3 interim analysis documented fatigue in 3.8 percent of participants and headaches in 2 percent. Injection site pain was noted in both trials (source).
Nearly 60% of us said we wanted to know more about the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine. The efficacy rate of a vaccine is a way of describing how the vaccine performed in clinical trials. The Pfizer vaccine has an efficacy rate of 95%, and the second vaccine from Moderna has an efficacy rate of 94.5%. You can read more here.
In addition to being safe, the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine is high and much better than originally anticipated.
We know the COVID-19 vaccine is only one tool to get COVID-19 under control. Until a significant portion of the population is vaccinated, the public needs to maintain social distancing and wearing masks, and frontline caregivers still need stockpiled PPE, widespread and rapid testing, hazard pay, and paid sick time so we can stay home and get better when we’re sick.
We will continue taking your input to the DOH and making sure caregivers are driving the conversation about the rollout. And we will continue providing information about the vaccine, distribution and next steps.