No Severe Reactions To COVID Vaccine In South Jersey: Officials

Hundreds of people in South Jersey have been vaccinated since the first coronavirus vaccine shots were administered on Tuesday, according to health officials. Hospitals are also preparing the prospect of getting another vaccine as early as next week.

Camden County Health Director Anne Walters, responding to a question from the public, said she is not aware of any severe reactions as a result of those vaccinations.

“The people who had reactions, I believe there were two in Alaska, had pre-existing allergies,” Walters said during Camden County’s weekly coronavirus news conference. “So the CDC and the FDA are recommending that if you have any type of allergies, if you’ve ever had a reaction to a shot before, you talk to a physician.”

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The first coronavirus vaccines developed by Pfizer in South Jersey were administered to employees at Cooper University Hospital, beginning on Tuesday. They have continued throughout the week, and were going “really well,” Walters said. Read more here: Cooper Employees Among First In NJ To Get Coronavirus Vaccine

On Thursday, the first shipment of the coronavirus vaccine arrived in Burlington County. Five employees at Deborah Heart and Lung Center received the vaccine simultaneously, nj.com reports.

“After you receive the first shot, you are observed for 15 minutes in the room to make sure everything is OK,” Walters said. “There are some side effects that are kind of like getting a regular vaccine, but for the most part, they are mild.”

That includes pain where you get the shot, fatigue, and a small headache, but they don’t last long, Walters said.

A Food and Drug Administration panel on Thursday recommended approving the vaccine developed by Moderna for emergency use. The FDA still has to sign off on final approval for the Moderna vaccine, and that could come as early as Friday.

Assuming it is approved, that vaccine may come to South Jersey next week, officials said on Friday. The two vaccines are similar, although the Pfizer vaccine is for ages 18-and-up, while the Moderna vaccine will be for ages 16-and-up.

Data is still being analyzed about developing vaccines for middle-school aged children and younger, according to officials. The timeline for who will receive the vaccine and when remains the same, with the vaccine most likely becoming available to the general public in the spring. Read more here: Here’s Who’s Getting The COVID-19 Vaccine First In New Jersey

One vaccine is not better than the other, and they shouldn’t be mixed together, officials said. They also reminded residents the existence of a vaccine doesn’t mean now is the time to stop wearing masks and following social distancing precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.

Camden County is still hoping to open a coronavirus vaccine distribution center as soon as Jan. 1, officials said. They would like to set that up at Camden County College in Gloucester Township.

Camden County is looking for professional medical assistance to help administer the vaccine. Anyone looking to help administer the hundreds of thousands of vaccines that will be administered next year must have active licenses and certifications for facilitating and deploying vaccines.

Anyone who is qualified and interested in joining this effort is asked to call the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services at 856-374-5153, or click here. Read more here: Camden County Seeks Medical Help To Administer COVID Vaccine