Frequently Asked Questions About COVID Vaccines in Louisiana

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Dr. Martha Whyte From the Louisiana Office of Public Health answers the most commonly asked questions about all three COVID vaccines.

Whyte points out that there are still a number of people who are hesitant to be vaccinated at all. "There are people who are (concerned) about how fast it was developed," Whyte says, "There is a whole cultural issue...about the history of research with people of color. But as they see their friends, or people that they know and respect get the vaccine, the more likely they are to step up and take it."

Whyte then answers a common question about the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines and its affect human chromosomes. "(Those vaccines) are giving you a little piece of messenger RNA. This tells our bodies to make a spike protein that is on the virus. It doesn't insert anything. It just tells us to make the protein. We make that protein, recognize it as foreign and make antibodies to it."

And can those vaccinated still contract and pass Coronavirus, even though they're symptom free? "Yes," she says, "That's why they still want you to wear masks even if you're fully vaccinated. Though the risk (of passing the virus) is low, you might be around someone who is high risk."