Archives for July 2021

COVID-19 vaccines are safe

• COVID-19 vaccines were developed using science that has been around for decades.
• COVID-19 vaccines are not experimental. They went through all the required stages of clinical trials. Extensive testing and monitoring have shown that these vaccines are safe and effective.
• COVID-19 vaccines have received and continue to undergo the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history.

COVID-19 vaccines are effective

• COVID 19-vaccines are effective. They can keep you from getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. Click here to learn more about the different COVID-19 vaccines.
• COVID-19 vaccines also help keep you from getting seriously ill even if you do get COVID-19.
• Getting vaccinated yourself may also protect people around you, particularly people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

Once you are fully vaccinated, you can start doing more

• After you are fully vaccinated for COVID-19, you can resume many activities that you did before the pandemic.
• CDC recommends that fully vaccinated people wear a mask in public indoor settings if they are in an area of substantial or high transmission.
  • Fully vaccinated people might choose to mask regardless of the level of transmission, particularly if they or someone in their household is immunocompromised or at increased risk for severe disease, or if someone in their household is unvaccinated. People who are at increased risk for severe disease include older adults and those who have certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, overweight or obesity, and heart conditions.
• People are not considered fully vaccinated until 2 weeks after their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, or 2 weeks after a single-dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. You should keep using all the tools available to protect yourself and others until you are fully vaccinated.
• Learn more about COVID-19 vaccination for people with underlying medical conditions or weakened immune systems.

COVID-19 vaccination is a safer way to help build protection

• Get vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19. Evidence is emerging that people get better protection by being fully vaccinated compared with having had COVID-19. One study showed that unvaccinated people who already had COVID-19 are more than 2 times as likely than fully vaccinated people to get COVID-19 again.
• Learn more about the clinical considerations for people were treated for COVID-19 with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, or history of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults or children.
• COVID-19 is still a threat to people who are unvaccinated. Some people who get COVID-19 can become severely ill, which could result in hospitalization, and some people have ongoing health problems several weeks or even longer after getting infected. Even people who did not have symptoms when they were infected can have these ongoing health problems.

Delta Variant

The Delta variant causes more infections and spreads faster than earlier forms of the virus that causes COVID-19. It might cause more severe illness than previous strains in unvaccinated people.

• Vaccines continue to reduce a person’s risk of contracting the virus that cause COVID-19, including this variant.
• Vaccines continue to be highly effective at preventing hospitalization and death, including against this variant.
• Fully vaccinated people with breakthrough infections from this variant appear to be infectious for a shorter period.
• Get vaccinated and wear masks indoors in public spaces to reduce the spread of this variant.

Learn More: Click here to learn more about COVID-19 variants.

Immunity after COVID-19 vaccination

• There is still a lot we are learning about COVID-19 vaccines and CDC is constantly reviewing evidence and updating guidance. We don’t know how long protection lasts for those who are vaccinated.
• What we do know is that COVID-19 has caused very serious illness and death for a lot of people.
• If you get COVID-19, you also risk giving it to loved ones who may get very sick. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is a safer choice.

People who have a condition or are taking medications that weaken their immune system may not be fully protected even if they are fully vaccinated. They should continue to take all precautions recommended for unvaccinated people, including wearing a well-fitted mask, until advised otherwise by their healthcare provider.

None of the COVID-19 vaccines can make you sick with COVID-19

None of the COVID-19 vaccines contain the live virus that causes COVID-19 so a COVID-19 vaccine cannot make you sick with COVID-19. 

Learn more: Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines.

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Source: This article is from the CDC’s website, Benefits of Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine.

Bexley’s COVID statistics have been low for several months, but a recent uptick mirrors statewide numbers that suggest community spread is on the rise. Additionally, the City is aware of several recent cases of fully vaccinated individuals contracting symptomatic COVID-19 within Bexley.

Due to the emergence of the delta variant and the increased risk of COVID-19 transmission to unvaccinated individuals, all residents are urged to continue to employ COVID-safe practices. Additionally, residents should be aware of the ongoing risk of transmission even to vaccinated individuals, and should consider wearing masks in indoor and outdoor public spaces where social distancing is not possible. The City continues to closely monitor conditions in Bexley and will provide updated guidance as public health data indicates.

RESOURCE: Ohio Department of Health’s COVID-19 Vaccine Locator