University Medical Center began offering the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine last month to all patients age 18 and older. We are pleased to provide this important health service, and I encourage all our patients who are eligible to get vaccinated.
Vaccines are provided by appointment only on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at UMC in Tuscaloosa. To schedule an appointment, please call (205) 348-1471.
It is important to get vaccinated against COVID-19. While wearing masks and social distancing helps reduce the chance of being exposed to the virus, or spreading it to others, these safety measures aren’t enough. COVID-19 vaccines prepare the body’s immune system to fight the virus if exposed.
In addition, getting vaccinated slows the spread of the virus and the more contagious variants. It also decreases hospitalizations and deaths. A recent study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines can reduce COVID-related hospitalizations in fully vaccinated adults 65 years and older by 94% as compared to those who are not vaccinated.
Vaccination not only protects you from the virus but also protects the community. There are people who, for medical or other reasons, can’t be vaccinated against COVID-19. So, we need to make sure we get vaccinated so that we can protect those who cannot.
There are other benefits of getting vaccinated. In recent weeks, the CDC has issued new guidance about what people can do if fully vaccinated. They can gather inside a home or private setting with other fully vaccinated people without a mask, and with unvaccinated people at low risk for severe COVID-19. They can participate in outdoor activities and recreation without a mask, except when in large crowds. They can travel with little risk to themselves, and don’t have to be tested for COVID-19 before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel, although the CDC still recommends against nonessential travel.
You can finally start doing some of the things you did before the pandemic.
The data supports the efficacy and safety of COVID-19 vaccines. Yes, they were created and approved within a year, but it really wasn’t as quick as that seems. Pharmaceutical companies used research that had been in place for several decades to develop COVID-19 vaccines. In addition, tens of thousands of Americans participated in clinical trials that showed the vaccines work, a far greater number than have participated in studies done for many licensed vaccines.
Even when you’re vaccinated, it’s still important to practice safety measures when in public. Continue wearing masks, especially when around large groups of people, and practice social distancing and frequent hand washing.
Vaccination is the way to get back to life as we used to know it.
The College of Community Health Sciences operates University Medical Center