By now, you must have been inundated with information on the novel coronavirus and the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s been a year since the virus spread to Guyana and brought with it restrictions, disruptions and all-round inconveniences. And, since then, it has infected thousands of Guyanese and claimed the lives of 205 persons.

Still, we contended with the challenges presented and strived to innovate, adapt and overcome — at least, as much as has been reasonably possible. Now, in a bid to exit the pandemic, there has been a rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines. This rollout has not been entirely welcomed with open arms, as there are many concerns, understandably so. As such, we have endeavoured to provide some amount of clarity, as we navigate this phase of the pandemic together.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on vaccines:

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
COVID-19 symptoms include: Cough, fever or chills, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, muscle or body aches, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, diarrhea, headache, fatigue, nausea or vomiting and congestion or runny nose. Symptoms and risk factors may vary in different people (John Hopkins medical)

Why do we need a vaccine against COVID-19?
COVID-19 is easily transmitted and can lead to long-term serious illness and death, even for people who are young and healthy. An effective COVID-19 vaccine is going to be one important way to protect people from this disease (PAHO)

If I have already had COVID-19 and recovered, do I still need to get vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine?
Yes, you should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19. That’s because experts do not yet know how long you are protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19 (CDC)

Will a COVID-19 vaccination protect me from getting sick with COVID-19?
Yes. COVID-19 vaccination works by teaching your immune system how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19, and this protects you from getting sick with COVID-19. Being protected from getting sick is important because even though many people with COVID-19 have only a mild illness, others may get a severe illness, have long-term health effects, or even die. (CDC)

How do we know COVID-19 vaccines were developed in a safe and effective manner?
Vaccine safety is always a top priority. All vaccines go through different trial phases before they can be approved for use in the population. The trial phases aim to ensure the safety of the vaccine, if and how well it can protect against disease, and other aspects like the number of doses and who could be vaccinated. The vaccines that are being developed against COVID-19 are following these same trial phases, but in some cases the phases might overlap or be sped up when enough data is available.

The trials are progressing at the fastest pace we’ve seen for any vaccine, while still following all safety guidelines. This is for many reasons, including unprecedented united global efforts around vaccine development, building on mRNA technology that’s been in development for years, and research from previous coronaviruses like MERS and SARS1. Once COVID-19 vaccines are approved for their broad use in the population, they will continue to be monitored to identify any unexpected adverse effects to ensure the safety of the vaccines. This monitoring is a routine part of immunization programmes (PAHO)