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🔬Samantha Yammine, PhD Profile picture
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31 Aug, 17 tweets, 8 min read
Looking for answers to questions about #COVID vaccines? Or a short video you can send to a friend or family member who's on the fence?

🧵 META-THREAD | Featuring the top videos & resources I've made summarizing expert consensus on #vaccine FAQs.

Bookmark & RT :) #VaccinesWork
Q1: How do we know the COVID vaccines are safe in the long-term?

A1: The vaccine product doesn't last more than a few days/weeks in your body, only immunity does. Like with other vax, rare but serious effects happen in the short-term, within 2-3 months 👇🏼
Q2: I have medical anxiety and REALLY hate needles. How can I get vaccinated?

A2: I have tremendous needle anxiety too! You're not alone. If I could do it, YOU CAN TOO. Accommodations can help.

Here are some tips based on my experience ⤵️
Q3: Are the COVID vaccines safe during pregnancy?

A3: Yes – experts in obstetrics & reproductive health recommend pregnant and lactating individuals get vaccinated against COVID. The thread below can help you have an informed discussion with your doc 👇🏼
Q4: I already had COVID. Why do I need to get vaccinated?

A4: Immunity from prior infection varies from person to person. Vaccination after COVID is not only safe, it improves the overall immune response (beyond antibodies!), especially against variants
Q5: Is mRNA technology "too new"?

A5: Nope, we did large and rigorous trials & now have data from millions. Plus we've been studying mRNA (and the lipid nanoparticles in vaccines that deliver it to our cells) since the 1960's! Learn more ⤵️ #VaccinesWork
Q6: I keep hearing about "breakthrough cases" ... does that mean vaccines don't work?

A6: #VaccinesWork. "Breakthrough cases" tend to be mild & data from around the world show that it is WAY less likely for vaccinated people to be hospitalized with COVID
Q7: Ok all the adults in our house are vaccinated... what about our kids?

A7: The mRNA vaccines are approved for kids 12+, and hopefully we'll have data from trials in those 5+ soon. In the meantime, here are other things you can do to keep kids safe 👇🏼
Q8: I got/am being offered a different mRNA vaccine for my second dose than first dose. Is this ok?

A8: Yes, the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines are considered interchangeable in places like Canada. I got Pfizer for dose 1, Moderna for dose 2!
Q9: Didn't the WHO say mixing vaccines is dangerous?

A9: No, that was taken out of context. Although countries still need to align on travel policies re: mixed vax schedules. I mixed & am not worried that'll happen by the time it's safe to travel again
Q10: I tend to faint with needles ... is this normal?

A10: Yep! I do too... It sucks, but it happens. As long as you don't hit your head, it's not usually dangerous. Lying down during your vaccination can help!
Q11: Can I watch answers to these questions all in one video?

A11: Yes! Well, most of them... Here's a quick debunk segment I did for @GlobalBC that answers 7 FAQs related to vaccines
Q12: I heard something new and scary not addressed in this thread, how do I know if it's true?!

A12: Before you see any information about COVID or the vaccines online, please #CheckThenShare... a simple pause could save someone's life!
NOTE: I make videos on my own time as an independent science communicator so people can be empowered to make their own health decisions based on evidence. I hope they help & serve as a contrast to the many disinformers online who try to profit off fear.
BONUS: If you're using these videos to chat with friends and family who are hesitant about COVID vaccines, keep these helpful, evidence-based tips from @CaulfieldTim in mind:
More! Let's talk about vaccine mandates ⤵️
Q12? 13? I've lost track!

But if you want to learn more about #Covid19 vaccines for 5 to 11 year olds, find a quick summary video, high level tweets, and links to all the in-depth resources that can help you make your decision below ⤵️

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More from @heysciencesam

🔬Samantha Yammine, PhD Profile picture
19 Jul
There is a reason why I say "needle and medical anxiety" instead of "needle phobia."

"Needle phobia" makes people think it's just about fear of pain from a needle.

But for many adults with this, it's about a whole lot more than pain & reducing it to that is, frankly, ableist.
If you're doing a story on needle phobia and/or actually want to help adults with needle & medical anxiety get vaccinated, I urge you to dig deeper than taglines related to pain.
For some (not me), it may have started with a painful experience.

But either way many of us with needle and/or medical anxiety have been dismissed & poorly treated in healthcare settings so the anxiety of clinical settings has become more generalized beyond the actual injection.
Read 9 tweets
🔬Samantha Yammine, PhD Profile picture
10 May
I know there are a lot of people who recently got the AstraZeneca vaccine who feel ... snubbed ... after last week's communications.

This thread is for you. I hope it re-affirms your smart decision to get protected from COVID asap & empowers you to know the signs of VITT.
Vaccines prevent disease. So any potential risk from a vaccine must ALWAYS be discussed in the context of risks from the disease it prevents.

Risks from an infectious disease like COVID vary w/ time, age, location, & personal risk profile.

That's why it changes & is confusing.
For places in Canada in the midst of a third wave, especially for those who don't work from home, the up to 94% protection against hospitalization from COVID that one dose of AstraZeneca offers was (and is) valuable.

Read 21 tweets
🔬Samantha Yammine, PhD Profile picture
10 May
If you got the AstraZeneca vaccine, you did NOT make a bad decision.
Please read the article. It talks about how going forward, supply of mRNA vaccine is increasing so much in Canada that it will be easier to opt for them if you’re more comfortable with the lower risk profile.
And for those who got the AstraZeneca and are worried about dose 2: we’ll have data soon from studies in mixing first and second doses with different brands. It is likely that you’ll have options for dose 2, so don’t worry 💗
Read 4 tweets
🔬Samantha Yammine, PhD Profile picture
7 May
Wow this made me feel so seen.

Despite the fact that I’ve been talking about vaccines non-stop all year, I have a real fear of the needle (not the vaccine!) itself.

Grateful for my therapist (who practises from a disability justice framework 🙏🏼)
time.com/6046759/needle…
I’m gonna try to document my experience getting vaccinated in hopes of helping others. Also working on a guide. Buuuut also prioritizing my mental health on this one 😬😬
Collecting info on how we can ask for accommodations here:
Read 4 tweets
🔬Samantha Yammine, PhD Profile picture
7 May
Question for those vaccinating in Ontario (especially Toronto) or disabled folks:

What’s the most seamless way for those of us with disabilities and/or needle phobia to ask for the accommodations we need when booking our appointments or arriving at the vax site?
I saw this form from Surrey Place (ddprimarycare.surreyplace.ca/wp-content/upl…) and while it says it’s specific for those with developmental disabilities, I’d find it helpful to fill out something similar since it’s stressful for me to communicate my needs in the moment.
I’m not yet eligible to book (I don’t live in a hot spot), but I’ve been finding it hard to access resources on accommodations available at certain sites.

I’m stoked to be vaccinated, but I know I’m not alone in needing more info on accessibility of the process.
Read 5 tweets
🔬Samantha Yammine, PhD Profile picture
24 Apr
Let's take a look at the updated NACI recommendations for the AstraZeneca vaccine...

Thread based on Appendix E, analyzing benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine (preventing ICU admissions & deaths from COVID) vs risks of waiting for a later mRNA vaccine: canada.ca/content/dam/ph… Screenshot of first page of the updated NACI recommendations
QUICK SUMMARY: if you're in AB or ON, or anywhere with high COVD cases, the protections the AstraZeneca vaccine offer outweigh the rare but real risks -- at any age.

Also seems true for 30+ in areas with medium COVID levels.

Note current supply & provincial eligibility criteria
IMPORTANT: I'm trained as a scientist, but in neuroscience/molecular genetics -- fields completely unrelated to this topic.

Only expertise I bring to this, besides a love of data, is based on my work as a science communicator, particularly one specialized in vaccine confidence
Read 26 tweets

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