Media Coverage

Some health care workers have shown hesitancy to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, says he cannot wait to take the vaccine. “Just because this vaccine has been developed in record time doesn’t mean there have been any shortcuts in its evaluation both for efficacy and safety,” says Russo. He notes that the vaccine has gone through the same rigorous process as every other vaccine, and it is safe. “I think as people see that as these vaccines are being administered and people are doing well with them, then they will be encouraged by that news,” says Russo.

Coronavirus vaccines are now being administered — first in England and now in the U.S., following the Food and Drug Administration’s emergency use authorization of Pfizer’s vaccine. Experts are clear that the data show people with mild allergies can be vaccinated. “Many people will hear ‘don’t get this vaccine if you have allergies,’ rather than the warning for severe allergies only,” says John A. Sellick Jr., DO, professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases. “We don’t want to discourage people who are at risk of severe disease or bad outcomes from getting these vaccines.” He emphasizes that people who do have a reaction will receive medical care. “The standard of care is to monitor people for a short period of time after a vaccine is given so treatment can be given if a reaction occurs,” he says.

The first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been given out across the United States. A common question is: If you’ve already had the novel coronavirus, do you still need to get vaccinated? Scientists believe people previously infected do have some level of protection, likely a couple of months, but they’re still in the process of understanding it all, says Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases. “We don’t really have a great test to sift out of all the people infected, who may be a greater or lesser risk for subsequent reinfection,” he says. “So, for those that we’ve known have been infected, it’s just easier to go ahead and vaccinate them.” He notes: “As a community, we want a critical number of individuals to get vaccinated so we can achieve what we call herd immunity, where if you get a critical mass that is not susceptible to infection, the virus has nowhere to go, and then subsequent incidence of disease is very, very low or zero.”

There are two COVID-19 vaccines being rolled out for emergency use around the world. The first one, authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is from Pfizer. A second vaccine is from Moderna. It has not yet received — but may receive — emergency use authorization from the FDA. A common question is: Once vaccinated, is it possible for an individual to pass COVID-19 on to someone else? Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, says: “It remains possible that if you’re vaccinated, you could actually develop asymptomatic infections, so you feel well and have no symptoms, but potentially you could spread the virus to others.”

John A. Sellick Jr., DO, professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, was among the first to get a COVID-19 vaccine at the Buffalo VA Medical Center. Sellick said he wanted to get the vaccine to show everyone it is safe to get — especially compared to the symptoms of the coronavirus. “A shot in the arm compared to a couple weeks in the ICU is a pretty easy exchange in my mind,” he said.

Pfizer and Moderna have reported separate vaccine candidates that are more than 90 percent effective at preventing COVID-19 infection in people who participated in phase 3 clinical trials. Pfizer’s vaccine is now being shipped to locations across the country. First rounds of the vaccine will be distributed by the end of the year, says Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases. For now, public health officials are still sorting through the details of administering vaccinations, but they are moving quickly as cases continue to surge in the U.S. “By March and April there will be more widespread availability. At least, that’s what I hope,” says Russo. “But I’m an optimist.”

The African American Health Equity Task Force in Buffalo is fighting mistrust of the COVID-19 vaccine. Members of the task force say Black and Brown communities are less inclined to vaccinate because of past experiments that have compromised their health. Alan J. Lesse, MD, senior associate dean for medical curriculum and associate professor of medicine, is involved with the African American Health Equity Task Force. “We recognize that we have to make a special effort to delay any fears in the community that this is experimentation on African Americans. It is not. The trials were designed to ensure that African Americans were in the group because many times drugs had been approved with inappropriate numbers of minorities and then they find that it doesn’t work as well or it doesn't work the same way,” says Lesse.

The U.S. has neared 300,000 total deaths since the start of the pandemic. The death rate has accelerated in recent months despite shutdowns, stay-at-home measures and other restrictions. Regarding the 300,000 fatality figure, Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, has said: “I thought we could get here, but I didn’t believe in my heart of hearts we would.” He adds: “I thought we would circle the wagons and take this seriously and do everything we can to minimize infections and do better. It has been disappointing.” Russo said the ubiquity of the virus right now — in comparison to earlier in the pandemic — contributed to a speedier rise in deaths in recent months.

Good Housekeeping reports on dizziness and COVID-19, noting while there is no direct link between the coronavirus and vertigo, it can’t be entirely ruled out. “We see dizziness with many other infections and illnesses,” John A. Sellick Jr., DO, professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, says. “But since there’s so much COVID-19 circulating, it may be worth exploring.”

Thomas Russo, MD, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, is quoted on the importance of sticking with one vaccine. “They’re nuanced differences but you're going to have to stick with the vaccine that you got first,” said Russo, who also works in the Veterans Affairs Western New York Health System.

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, for which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said it will give emergency use authorization, has been proved to be effective in reducing or eliminating illness associated with COVID-19. Bruce R. Troen, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, is among the doctors who have advocated for nursing home residents to be among the first to receive the vaccine. However, he believes there still needs to be caution in nursing home settings even after the vaccine has been distributed throughout those facilities. “I think we still have to be very cautious,” Troen says. “My hope is that in two or three months, we’ll have information that will say the spread is reduced (by the vaccine). Until that time, we still have to be very cautious.”

Most people are aware of the major signs of COVID-19. However, there are still some symptoms that do not get much attention and, of course, ones that continue to be discovered. One of these includes having bluish lips. Lips can take on a blue tint when a person has a medical condition called cyanosis; blood that lacks adequate oxygen is dark bluish-red. John A. Sellick Jr., DO, professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, notes that in the case of having bluish lips with COVID-19, “most people have other symptoms … Usually, they’ll also be short of breath or huffing and puffing.”

Many people have questions and concerns about the efficacy, safety and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. “I think it’s critical for us as health care providers to provide information to the public, make them aware of how effective the vaccines are, how safe the vaccines are, and what they can expect when getting vaccinated,” says Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases. A commonly asked question is whether it is safe for both children and adults to receive the same vaccine. “It’s too soon to tell,” is Russo’s response. “Moderna is planning to do trials in 12 to 17-year-olds, Pfizer has started to enroll 12 to 17-year-olds as well, but that data is not available,” he says. He also answers questions about wearing face coverings after vaccination and asymptomatic infections.

Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, says midsummer could be the turning point of the coronavirus pandemic. “Activities where we can get together without masks, even indoors, become once again a reality and we’ll be getting back to normal,” says Russo. But before a return to normalcy can happen, many people must get the COVID-19 vaccine. “The vaccine is here, but it’s not in everyone yet so it’s going to take us time,” says Russo. “The new coronavirus is much more stable and does not change genetically as rapidly and extensively as influenza viruses. Therefore, the vaccine we’re developing now, we’re hoping is going to be effective and durable — keeping our fingers crossed — for a couple of years.”

COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. are nearing highs set early in the pandemic. The climbing daily death toll comes as an expected surge of new cases linked to Thanksgiving is beginning to impact some hospital systems. Health officials and state leaders fear more potential spread during the holiday season. “We’ve got Thanksgiving — which we really haven’t felt the full impact of yet by any means — we’ve got the religious holidays, and then that’s followed up a week later by New Year’s,” says Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases. “I’m quite concerned that we’re in the midst of this surge, and it’s likely to get worse before it gets better.”