Connecting the Bronx Community with Vaccines, Education and Support

 

The decision to vaccinate or not, is a very personal one. To help Bronx residents make their best vaccination decision, Bronx Health REACH (BHR) seeks to provide science-based information from trusted sources to address the questions and concerns people may have about vaccinations. Over the past five years, we have listened to Bronx community members, imams, pastors, teachers, parents, salon and barbershop owners share their concerns about COVID-19, flu and other adult vaccines. With the guidance and leadership of 7 Vaccine Community Advisory Board members, 35 partners and 5 community health workers, we have provided outreach and education to address the vaccine concerns of Bronx residents.

In surveying 97 Bronx residents, BHR found that none of the Black/-African-American men and women 50 years and older, and less than half of Latino men and women 50 years and older planned to get at least one routine vaccine (pneumococcal, Shingles, Tdap, Hep B, flu or COVID-19) this year. To increase the vaccination uptake in these populations, BHR expanded the scope of it’s vaccination promotion program beyond COVID-19 and the flu, to now include RSV, Pneumococcal, Shingles, Tdap, Hep A/B, Chicken Pox, Polio, and other recommended vaccinations in the Bronx.  Click here to view an information sheet on common adult vaccines and the related illnesses.

Through the BHR Adult Vaccine program’s efforts and partnerships, 12,875 community members have been vaccinated for COVID-19, flu and RSV. BHR is also working to increase the number of pregnant and breastfeeding women receiving common adult vaccines through a new Doula Vaccine Education program. This culturally appropriate program provides doulas with the training, technical support and resources to educate pregnant and breastfeeding women about common adult vaccines that will protect them and their unborn and newborn children. To learn more about our Doula Vaccine Education program, email us for a copy of our Guidebook for Doulas.

Currently, Bronx residents can access adult and child vaccine by visiting the NYC Health Map (uninsured, sliding scale payment, Medicaid, Medicare options included). For more information about vaccines, visit NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

Frequently Asked Questions about Routine Adult Vaccines and Related Illnesses

I got all my childhood vaccines such as MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) Polio, Tuberculosis, Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Acellular, Pertussis) and Pneumococcal. Isn’t that enough?

Most childhood vaccines do not need to be repeated in adulthood. However, adults need a Tdap vaccine every ten years after they turn 18 years old to boost their immunity. Pregnant women need to get a Tdap vaccine with every pregnancy to protect their baby. Pneumococcal is required for children as well as adults over 60, when people tend to be more vulnerable to pneumococcal illness. Click here for more information about pneumococcal. Flu and COVID vaccines are not part of the schedule of childhood vaccines. It is important to get the latest flu and COVID vaccines every year.

I am healthy, young and received a Hepatitis B (Hep B) vaccine as a child. Do I need to get another one as an adult?

If you are at high-risk for infection; because you: work in a healthcare setting, have diabetes, are visit a country with high Hep B cases, have a history of STDs or Hep B infection, or drug use, you should get tested for Hep B. If you test positive, you should get one dose of Hep B. Click here for more information about Hep B.

If I have RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus), flu or COVID, can it be treated?

It depends on when you test for the illnesses. There are only treatments for COVID-19 (Paxlovid within five days of testing positive for the virus) and Flu (Tamiflu, Relenza, Rapivab or (Zofluza) Xofluza within 2 days of testing positive for the virus). No RSV treatments are currently available. Treatment for flu and COVID can’t protect a person from future infection.

How do I know which vaccines are safe for me or my children?

Visit the CDC vaccine schedule to find out which vaccines have been approved for children and adults. Read more about vaccine safety for parents at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia website  or American Academy of Pediatric’s website.

Can vaccines make me sick?

Many vaccines take time to build resistance in your body. For example, the COVID-19 vaccine may take up to two weeks to take effect. This means that it is possible to get sick within two weeks of getting the vaccine. Also, make sure you don’t take a vaccine if you have a cold or flu as this will make vaccine side effects more uncomfortable.

Vaccines teach your body to fight off infection by telling the body it is infected with the virus that causes an illness. Vaccines may cause side effects such as fatigue, headaches, muscle pain, chills, fever, nausea, and soreness, redness and swelling at the site of vaccination. Symptoms should go away within 1-2 days. If symptoms don’t go away after a few days, contact your doctor or the healthcare provider who gave you the shot. If missing work is a concern, try to schedule your vaccination for a weekend or a day when you are not working so if you have any short-term side affects you will be off from work.

What are the ingredients in my vaccine, and is it safe?

Common ingredients found in vaccines are needed to make it safe and effective such as: stabilizers (sugar or gelatin) to ensure vaccine is effective after manufacturing; adjuvants (aluminum salts) to help boost the body’s response to the vaccine; residual ingredients (formaldehyde) to kill viruses and inactive toxins during the manufacturing process; and leftover cell culture materials [egg protein] to prevent contamination (although many vaccines have alternatives without egg protein). Click here to find the ingredients for a specific vaccine.

What are the ingredients in the COVID-19 Vaccine?

There are four main ingredients in COVID-19 vaccines: salt, sugar, fatty-lipids (or a bubble of fat around the main ingredient) and the main ingredient (M-RNA or an inactive cold virus carrying the spike protein.) Don’t panic. This video explains how mRNA vaccines work. There are no blood products, antibiotics, DNA, Fetal cells, pork products, egg proteins, preservatives (e.g., thimerosal), or metals in the vaccines. (Ingredients in COVID-19 Vaccines). None of the authorized COVID-19 vaccines in the United States contain the live virus that causes COVID-19. This means that a COVID-19 vaccine cannot make you sick with COVID-19.

 

Can the COVID-19 vaccine cause you to be magnetic?

The ingredients in a COVID-19 vaccine will not make you magnetic, including at the site of vaccination. All COVID-19 vaccines are free of metals. Click here to view ingredients in COVID-19 Vaccines. (See aluminum to answer questions about aluminum in vaccines).

Do COVID-19 vaccines contain microchips?

COVID19 vaccines do not contain microchips. Click here to view ingredients in COVID-19 Vaccines.

 

Do COVID-19 vaccines change my DNA?

COVID-19 vaccines cannot change your DNA. COVID-19 vaccines made from mRNA do not change or even send instructions to our DNA. Both the mRNA (Pfizer and Moderna) vaccines give instructions (genetic material) to our body to teach it how to fight off the virus that causes COVID-19. The message (genetic material) is in contact with the surface of the cell, not the center (where our DNA lives).

 

How common is it for someone to have a severe side effect from the vaccine?

The ingredients in a COVID-19 vaccine will not make you magnetic, including at the site of vaccination. All COVID-19 vaccines are free of metals. (Ingredients in COVID-19 Vaccines.)

 

Does the vaccine change my DNA?

With any vaccine there may be side effects. Even aspirin has possible side effects. Visit the CDC website to see a list of rare side effects from routine vaccines.

A small number of people have had a severe reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine called anaphylaxis. All healthcare staff are prepared to treat this reaction immediately if it should happen. It is for this reason everyone must wait 15-30 minutes after getting the vaccine so the healthcare staff can monitor you for a reaction to the vaccine. If you have had a severe reaction, consult your physician before getting additional doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

Learn about rare side effects of other adult vaccines. Learn about other rare reactions to COVID-19 vaccines: Guillan-Barre Syndrome, myocarditis and pericarditis and Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome).  (Post-vaccination information).

 

Can COVID-19 vaccines cause heart problems or blood clots?

Reports of cases of myocarditis (swelling of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (swelling of the outer lining of the heart) after Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccinations are very rare and have only affected men under 30 years old. Myocarditis and Pericarditis can be mild and treatable. Most young men who developed the heart conditions after getting vaccinated made a full recovery with treatment and rest.

CDC continues to study COVID-19 vaccines for possible long-term effects of myocarditis. It should be noted that blood clots are also common in people who have COVID-19 illness. Learn about other rare reactions.

How do I know the COVID-19 vaccine is safe for my young children?

The COVID-19 vaccine is safe for children based on thirty years of research on other coronaviruses. This information is a result of studies of 2,000 12-15 year olds and 3,100 5-11 year olds in the US. These studies determined what is the lowest dose possible a child can get that will both protect him/her from the worst symptoms of COVID-19 while having the least side effects.

Parents can read more about vaccine safety for children at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia website or American Academy of Pediatric’s website.

 

Is it safe to vaccinate while pregnant or breastfeeding?

Some vaccines are safe to take during pregnancy and a month after the child’s birth if breastfeeding. Research has shown that the mother transfers flu, RSV and COVID-19 antibodies to the baby during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, which will protect the newborn child from those illnesses. Thousands of women have safely received the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Download our helpful vaccine handouts for pregnant/breastfeeding women and women with infants. If you are already pregnant and have questions about getting vaccinated, call Mother To Baby (866) 626-6847, or text (855)999-8525. You can find updated information about vaccines during pregnancy on the CDC website.

 

Can COVID-19 vaccines affect my sexual performance?

There is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines affect sexual performance. In fact, there are two  studies citing evidence that getting the COVID19 virus is associated with erectile dysfunction.

Can COVID-19 or Flu vaccines affect my menstrual cycle?

A study by the National Institutes of Health discovered a small, temporary increase in menstrual cycle length following two doses of COVID-19 vaccines. This study provides evidence that COVID-19 vaccines do not stop or interrupt menstrual cycles. A study by JAMA found that the COVID-19 vaccine may temporarily increase cycle length by two days and the flu vaccine by one day.

 

Can COVID or flu vaccines cause me to become infertile?

There is no scientific proof that COVID-19 or flu vaccines affects male or female fertility. A study published in JAMA of urology research found no change in sperm counts in healthy young men receiving the vaccine. Read more about COVID-19 vaccine and fertility myths. Similarly, there is no evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine affects puberty.

Isn’t COVID-19 similar to the flu?

While the symptoms of the flu and COVID-19 illness have many similarities, they are caused by two different viruses. Both viruses can be life-threatening, but SARS-COV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 illness, has proven to be highly infectious, spreads quickly, and can lead to severe illness, hospitalization and even death. This virus can also have long-term effects  on one’s overall health. While the flu tends to have the most severe effects on children under five, people over 65 or those with chronic diseases, anyone can experience severe illness if they get the COVID-19 virus.

 

What is the difference between Shingles and Measles?

Shingles is caused by the Herpes Zoster virus and is often a painful outbreak of rash or blisters on the skin. Anyone who has had the chickenpox virus can get shingles, although it is most common in individuals over the age of 50. Shingles is spread by direct contact with the blisters or being in close contact with broken or weeping blisters. Shingles is prevented by taking the Shingles vaccine. Measles is caused by the measles virus. It is a highly contagious rash that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Measles is prevented by getting the Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) vaccine.

 

If I have RSV, Flu or COVID, can it be treated?

It depends on when you test for the illnesses. You can treat COVID-19 by taking Paxlovid within 10 days of getting the virus. You can treat the Flu by taking Tamiflu, Relenza, Rapivab or (Zofluza) Xofluza within 2 days of getting the Flu. There are no RSV treatments are currently available. Treatment for flu and COVID can protect a person from future infection. For more information about COVID testing, visit the CDC COVID testing page and preventing the spread of illness, if you test positive.

 

How do I know if I have Long-COVID?

Long COVID is a wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems people can experience four or more weeks after being infected with COVID-19. Long-COVID can affect both children and adults. A doctor may be able to determine a long-COVID diagnosis based on a person’s health history, testing for COVID-19 antibodies and doing a health examination. For more information about Long-COVID, visit the CDC or AMA websites.

Long-COVID Diagnosis and Treatment Programs:

NYC Health + Hospitals Gotham Health, Tremont COVID-19, Center of Excellence
1920 Webster Ave, Bronx, NY 10457
(844)692-4692
(No insurance required)

BronxCare Health System Pulmonary Clinic
199 Mount Eden Ave, Bronx, NY 10458
(718)992-7669
(No insurance required)

Center for Post-COVID Care Mount Sinai, Internal Medicine Associates
17 E 102nd St, 3rd Fl, NY NY 10028
(212) 659-8551
(Insurance required)

Montefiore Einstein/ COVID-19 Recovery (CORE) Clinic
Medical Arts Pavilion, 3400 Bainbridge Ave, 2nd Floor, Bronx, NY 10467
(844)556-6683, Ext 36
(Insurance required)

Other resources:

NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Vaccines & Immunization website
Myths & Facts about COVID-19
Shingles Handout_EN/SP
Pregnancy Handout EN/SP
Vaccinate Your Family
Ask the Experts
COVID-19 Resource Page of CDC Foundation
Our COVID-19 Resource Page

The Adult Vaccine Initiative has been made possible with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.