April Edition 2021
Inside This Issue
From Questions to Confidence: Understanding COVID-19 Vaccines By Michael Teneriello, M.D., FACOG, Texas Oncology Austin Central
Focusing on Awareness, To Help Communities Overcome Hesitancy Toward The COVID-19 Vaccines See pg. 10
INDEX Legal Matters....................... pg.3 Mental Health...................... pg.6 Healthy Heart....................... pg.8 Age Well................................ pg.13
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or the past year, the pandemic has felt out of our control, and in many ways that’s true. However, COVID-19 vaccines bring new hope – and opportunity for us all to do our part to slow the spread of the virus. As vaccines continue to become available, it’s important to understand how they work, why they’re safe for current cancer patients and survivors, and what to expect at your vaccination appointment. How COVID-19 vaccines work As of spring 2021, there are three COVID-19 vaccines approved under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) emergency use authorization. Here’s what you should know. • The technologies and techniques used in the COVID-19 vaccines have been studied by scientists and researchers for decades. • The Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines use the body’s own immune system to produce a special type of protein, called a “spike protein,” to prevent infection with
COVID-19. • The Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is different in that it uses a modified version of an adenovirus to deliver a message
as part of clinical trials. As a cancer patient, you may have heard about or participated in a clinical trial focused on innovative new cancer therapies or procedures. Before COVID-19 vaccines were authorized by the FDA, data from large-scale clinical trials confirmed that the benefits of the vaccines are safer than becoming infected with COVID-19. While the process was swift, no steps were skipped. The science is clear: COVID-19 vaccines are safe and recommended for most people, including patients with cancer. What to expect when you get the COVID-19 vaccine Every patient with cancer responds to treatment a little differently – the same is true of COVID-19 vaccines. Here’s what you should know before you’re vaccinated: • Patients with cancer should talk to their physician before getting the vaccine. Immunocompromised patients may have a diminished response to all three vaccines. • Everyone is asked screening questions before getting the vaccine. • For the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, two
The science is clear: COVID-19 vaccines are safe and recommended for most people, including patients with cancer.
Paralyzed Veteran Learns to Ski During Pandemic See pg. 12
to our cells. That message allows the body to mount an immune response to the COVID-19 virus spike antigen. The adenovirus can’t grow inside our cells or cause illness other than flu-like symptoms. • While you may experience side effects such as arm soreness, headache, fatigue, or mild fever, you cannot get COVID-19 from the shots. Why COVID-19 vaccines are safe All vaccines go through rigorous and lengthy processes, including evaluation by an independent review board, before reaching the FDA’s stringent scientific and regulatory process. For example, COVID-19 vaccines were administered to patients
see Vaccines...page 14
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