(CNN Español) – Dr. Elmer Huerta answers questions from our audience. In this episode, users ask about how they can be part of phase 3 study of vaccines against coronavirus, on the components of the Modern company vaccine, on whether it is possible to infect a person with the virus and then apply the vaccine, among others.
You can listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform, or read the transcript below.
Hello, I am Dr. Elmer Huerta and this is your daily dose of information about the new coronavirus, information that we hope will be useful to take care of
of your health and that of your family. Today we will answer some of the questions that we have been asked on our Twitter account @DrHuerta.
@drhuerta Hello doctor, how could I sign up to be a volunteer? Thank you
— Reynaldo MC (@Reymarcam) August 20, 2020
Hello Reynaldo, I congratulate you for your altruistic interest in wanting to collaborate in the development of the vaccine. Studies are only available in some countries like U.S, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico.
I beg you to ask a doctor you trust to guide you through the process within the country where you live.
@drhuerta my question is about my daughter, she is 8 years old and a gymnast. The gym where she practices has opened its doors with a limit of 70 children in a closed space, is it recommended that she can return to her practices when the numbers in CA have increased? Grace
– anagambad3 (@ anagambad3) August 20, 2020
Hello Ana, gyms are closed places, with a high risk of contagion, especially if the protocols for cleaning surfaces, use of masks and social distance are not followed.
The fact that the infection is increasing in your area is not good either, as it increases the possibility that infected people are using the gym.
Suddenly, you can postpone the girl’s practices until you are certain of the gym’s sanitary protocols and the frequency of infections decreases where you live.
Would that vaccine serve with a new knowledge of the virus? Will we live from quarantine to quarantine with new viruses? We must let nature do its job “natural selection”, and look for creative ways to isolate the vulnerable and for the rest “herd immunity”
– JOSE CARLOS GARCIA C (@ JoseCarlosGC79) August 20, 2020
Good question José. If the unfortunate fact happened that the virus drastically mutates in those areas targeted by the vaccines being manufactured, these would not work.
Fortunately, so far, there is no scientific evidence that the virus is undergoing major mutations.
Those that have been documented are simple mutations that will not prevent vaccines in development from working.
The modern RNA Vaccine placebo I think is a meningococcal vaccine?
– César LIENDO (@liendo_csar) August 20, 2020
Hello César, no, the placebo of the Moderna laboratory vaccine is saline, that is, water with salt.
I read that in the document called informed consent that I had to sign to participate in the study.
???? LISTENS: Dr. Huerta: They gave me an injection in my shoulder, which I don’t know if it is the coronavirus vaccine or a placebo
First they infect him with Covid and then give him the vaccine, to see if it works.
— Ricardo (@argonautavip5) August 20, 2020
Excellent question Ricardo. The situation you raise is done in medicine and is called a “human confrontation study” or “human challenge trial” in English.
It’s controversial, but it consists of first infecting a person and then giving them the vaccine, or the other way around, giving them the vaccine first and purposely infecting them later.
This possibility has been considered in the United States., as it would help study the vaccine in countries that no longer have COVID-19 cases.
@drhuerta just indicated by @RPPNews that the placebo will serve to compare how many were infected with placebo and how many with vaccine. My question is: will the virus be applied to them as part of the study? Or will you just wait to see if they are infected or not in your normal life?
– Enrique Lliulla (@lliulla) August 20, 2020
Excellent question Enrique. The volunteers are told to continue their life in a normal way, and to take care of themselves as always, using their masks, maintaining social distance and taking extreme care of the hygiene of hands and surfaces.
@drhuerta Why are the efforts to find a vaccine and nothing is said about some medicine that prevents oxygen from being needed or people dying? I understand that they are not the same. Example: flu that make it more bearable but do not prevent it.
— Victor Yep (@VictorYep2) August 20, 2020
Hello Victor, I want to tell you that the efforts are focused on both things, on achieving a vaccine and an effective treatment.
For example, much research has been done on the utility of hidroxicloroquina, which unfortunately has not given good results, as well as the remdesivir, which shortens the days of hospitalization.
Monoclonal antibodies are also being developed, which are of great hope.
Dámaris asks us: A relative contracted COVID-19 and two weeks later his sister was infected. I would like to know if the first person could get infected again, since they are in contact.
Good question Dámaris. So far it has not been proven that a person can be infected twice.
I advise you that the sick person isolate himself in his room and that everyone in the family, including the relative who has already had the disease, wear a mask when caring for them.
Good night @drhuerta And those of us who are asthmatic and allergic to NSAIDs? What can we expect from this?
— Cynthia Lorenzo (@lacarpe09) August 20, 2020
Good question Cynthia, remember that all human beings have the danger of being infected with the virus if we do not follow the prevention rules.
On the other hand, the risk of complications is somewhat higher in asthmatics, but not in people allergic to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs.
25 months ???? How to understand that?
– Daniel (@ GonDanielro28) August 20, 2020
Excellent question Daniel. Although it is true that the initial data (probably six months into the study) will serve so that –– if it works–– the vaccine can be licensed at the beginning of 2021; the 30,000 volunteers will continue to be studied to more strictly evaluate the effectiveness and long-term toxicity of the vaccine.
Please, I need help to find out if a person who has already been discharged from COVID19 can transmit viral load from others. Although it already has defenses, if it is exposed to the virus, can it be a channel for it to be transmitted? @doctormacias @drhuerta
– Carolina (@Candora_) August 19, 2020
Good question Carolina.
That matter has not been studied. Until now, it is accepted that a person who has already passed the disease, cannot be infected again and by not being able to do so, they cannot carry virus in their respiratory tract to infect other people.
@drhuerta My 28 year old twin sister and I suffer from endometriosis, additionally I suffer from mitral and pulmonary valve prolapse. My 63-year-old mother suffers from hypertension and mitral and aortic valve prolapse. Which of the 3 is at risk if you catch COVID-19?
– Lindsay Rodríguez (@ Lindsay_201291) August 19, 2020
Good question Lyndsay, I think the only person who is not at higher risk of complications is your sister, who does not have problems with her heart health. You and your mom must take good care of each other.
The doctor has covid-19 @drhuerta to know if it is effective ?????
— Robert (@Robert_MatQui) August 18, 2020
Good question Robert. Just as a child is vaccinated against measles so that he or she does not get the disease, so is a person who has not yet had covid-19 vaccinated to protect them from the disease.
Although due to the fact that it is not known whether a person who has already passed the disease can be re-infected, we will have to wait for this important issue to be clarified to know if people who have already had the disease have to be vaccinated or not.
@drhuerta Can a vaccinated person transmit the Coronavirus? Thank you.
– DiarioNocturno.com (@diarionocturno) August 20, 2020
Excellent question, Diary. The vaccinated person cannot transmit the new coronavirus, because they do not have the virus in their respiratory tract.
Remember that the objective of the vaccine is to protect the vaccinated, preventing them from becoming infected with the virus.
Send me your questions on Twitter, we will try to answer them in our next episodes. You can find me at @DrHuerta.
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If you have any questions you can send it to doctor Elmer Huerta via Twitter. You can also go to CNNE.com/coronaviruspodcast for all episodes of our podcast «Coronavirus: Reality vs. fiction”.
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