ASK 2 VACCINE

At KPRC 2, we’re dedicated to keeping Houstonians informed. As part of our Ask 2 series, the newsroom will answer your questions about all things Houston.

While the vaccine is not ready yet for kids, there is still plenty of information parents need to know right now. “The primary concern would be a severe allergy to any components to the vaccine.” Dr. Chang said. “I am very eager to be able to get my grandchildren vaccinated at some point,” Dr. Spinner said. We don’t know if being vaccinated will still stop us from spreading the virus to others,” Dr. Spinner said. “As a pediatric specialist, I just want what is best for kids,” Dr. Chang said.

A panel of experts answers questions about the coronavirus vaccine during an Ask 2 Town Hall on Jan. 13, 2021. KPRC 2 is always working to get answers to your questions and concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine. Imelda Garcia, associate commissioner of the Department of State Health Service and chair of the state’s Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel, explained. Dr. James McCarthy, of Memorial Hermann, said you should not get the COVID-19 vaccine while you are actively infected with the virus. Follow the latest coronavirus vaccine headlines and submit your questions about the vaccine at Click2Houston.com/vaccine.

A nurse prepares a vaccine prior to the vaccination of elderly people at a nursing house in Athens, Monday, Jan. 4, 2021. As part of our Ask 2 series, the newsroom will answer your questions about all things Houston. Question: If I test positive for COVID-19, should I still get the vaccine? Answer: Despite being previously infected with COVID-19, reinfection is still possible. For this reason, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says people previously infected may be advised to receive the vaccine.

Answer: As of this writing, state health officials have restricted initial doses to people in two groups -- Phase 1A and Phase 1B. The bottom line is that if you don’t fall into either of these groups, you are not eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine at this time. However, the Texas Department of State Health Services has created a map that helps people locate a vaccine provider. If you believe you are eligible to receive the vaccine, you should contact your health care provider or pharmacist to find out where you can get the shot. Here are answers to other Ask 2 questions about the vaccine:

Question: Who is eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine right now? Answer: As of March 15, 2021, the administration of the coronavirus vaccine is limited to the following groups of people. According to the Department of State and Health Services, Phase 1A recipients include frontline health care workers and people living in long-term care facilities. Certain types of teachers and child care workers are also eligible to receive the vaccine. Starting March 29, all adults in Texas will be eligible to receive the vaccine.

(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)At KPRC 2, we’re dedicated to keeping Houstonians informed. As part of our Ask 2 series, the newsroom will answer your questions about all things Houston. Question: If a person has received the COVID vaccine or has antibodies after recovery, do they still need to wear a mask? Answer: Despite the approved Moderna and Pfizer vaccines offering about 95% efficacy at preventing serious illness, those who get vaccinated for COVID-19 or have antibodies will need to continue wearing a mask. Send it our way, and we will try to hunt down an answer.

FILE - In this Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020 file photo, a nurse holds a phial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Guy's Hospital in London. U.K. Ugur Sahin, CEO of Biontech says the German pharmaceutical company is confident that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine works against the UK variant of the virus, but further studies are need to be completely sure. As part of our Ask 2 series, the newsroom will answer your questions about all things Houston. Question: How will I be notified that I can get the coronavirus vaccine? Texas Medical Center leaders said in a press conference Tuesday that most people will be notified by their physician or patients can call their doctors to find out whether they can receive the vaccine.

HOUSTON – A panel of medical experts gathered Thursday for an Ask 2 Live discussion aimed at answering your questions about the coronavirus vaccine. The first doses of the vaccine will be given to essential workers and people living in long-term care facilities. She said people with some preexisting conditions are at a higher risk of complications from the virus, which makes them getting vaccinated even more important. Giordano said the 95% efficacy rate means that you are protected at that rate from developing the coronavirus disease. He said a person who has an active infection going to a clinic full of people who are getting vaccinated could infect a lot of people.

As part of our Ask 2 series, the newsroom will answer your questions about all things Houston. Question: When the COVID-19 vaccine is released to the public, how much is going to cost and who is going to pay for it? Answer: Recent reports offer hope that the coronavirus vaccine will be widely available at no additional cost in the United States. Under the Trump Administration, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is taking steps to ensure all Americans have access to the COVID-19 vaccine at no cost when it becomes available, its website states. “Under President Trump’s leadership, we have developed a comprehensive plan to support the swift and successful distribution of a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19,” CMS Administrator Seema Verma said.

Are we soon going to be required to wear masks everywhere? This would likely require people to wear masks inside of businesses (employees and customers). If you test negative for COVID should you take an antibody test? If you are trying to determine if you previously had the virus, you can take an antibody test. What can an antibody test do?

Here are a few examples:ModernaThis week, we learned about the Moderna vaccine that is showing promise. Moderna is a young company (10 years old) and has never had a drug approved before so this would be the first. Last week, a few experts said the United States is not prepared to start supplying millions of doses of any kind of vaccine. That’s exactly what the researchers working on the trials with these vaccines want to find out. Before producing millions of doses and injecting millions of people, they want to know who is a good candidate for the drug.