Vaccination education as student pharmacists ALYSSA COX Vaccines are currently a hot topic among the community. Pharmacies are a main area for giving vaccinations as well as providing education to our patients. With the rapid development of the COVID-19 vaccine, many people have become skeptical and are hesitant towards receiving these immunizations. Pharmacists, and pharmacy students, can play a key role in providing factual information about the vaccine and benefits and risks to help guide patients towards making the decision to get vaccinated. Not only does this apply to the COVID-19 vaccine, but also all other vaccines that may be beneficial for each patient. Knowing the key points about what each vaccine is, who it is indicated for, the dosing schedule, side effects, and who is ineligible for each vaccine can help us provide the most accurate information and guide patients towards being their healthiest self.
The COVID-19 vaccine is a newer vaccine that has increased curiosity within the community. This has given student pharmacists lots of opportunity to answer vaccination questions to help shed light on the benefits of getting vaccinated. It is important to understand the basic information about each vaccine in order to properly give recommendations to our patients. Currently, the CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccines for all eligible people aged 5 years and older with a preference for people to receive an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer and Moderna). For those aged 5 years and older, they are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine. For those aged 18 years and older, they are eligible for the Pfizer, Moderna, or Janssen vaccine. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are 2 dose series as opposed to the Janssen vaccine which is one dose. The CDC now recommends booster doses for all vaccines for ages 12 and up, with mix and match allowed but a preference for mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. For the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, patients should be informed about the risk and symptoms of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome in the 2 weeks following vaccine administration. Those who have had a severe allergic reaction after a previous dose or to the components of the COVID-19 vaccine have contraindication for the COVID-19 vaccine. Some common side effects include, pain, redness, and swelling in the arm the vaccine was received. Additionally, patients may experience tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea, although many do not experience any side effects. Overall, the CDC states that the vaccines are safe and effective and should be given as soon as possible to those that are eligible to help reduce the severity and likelihood of the developing COVID-19 infection. PAGE 7
