COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ: North Memorial Doctor Answers Common Questions

Nearly 400,000 Minnesotans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. But questions and concerns remain. CCX News asked a doctor from North Memorial Health Hospital some questions about the vaccine.

When can hospitals expect to get enough supplies to perform widespread vaccinations?

Dr. Leslie Baken with North Memorial Health Hospital said they’re waiting on the vaccines just like everyone else. In the meantime, the hospital has already set up a method for scheduling appointments in clinics, once vaccines are available. 

What about side effects?

For those that already got the shot, many have reported side effects.

“Aches, chills, fever, fatigue. Those are all symptoms associated with the body making an immune response to the vaccine,” explained Baken. “While they’re bothersome, I want to reassure people that they will do well.”

Baken said if there are no side effects, it doesn’t mean the vaccine didn’t work. In some rare cases, patients have had severe reactions to the vaccine. 

“The people who have experienced this generally had a history of severe reactions to injectable medication,” Baken said. “Those might be people who want to talk to a physician before they proceed with getting the COVID vaccine.”

What about variants of the coronavirus? Does the vaccine protect against them?

Variants of the virus have raised concerns. Baken said whether or not the vaccine is effective against all the variants is not yet known. She said that remains a very active area of study.

And Baken said those who already got COVID-19, should still get the vaccine.

“We can’t entirely predict that a person who has had COVID-19 illness will develop the protective antibodies that we want them to. So we are recommending people to get the vaccination,” she said.

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