COVID-19 Vaccination

UT Southwestern is following state guidance for distribution. We began by vaccinating those in Phase 1A of COVID-19 vaccine distribution, which included our health care workers, and expanded our distribution to include Phase 1B:

• Individuals 65 years of age or older
• Individuals 16 years of age or older with at least one chronic medical condition that puts them at increased risk for severe illness from the virus that causes COVID-19, such as but not limited to: cancer; chronic kidney disease; COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease); Down syndrome; heart conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies; solid organ transplantation; obesity and severe obesity (body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or higher); pregnancy; sickle cell disease; or type 2 diabetes mellitus

The speed with which we can vaccinate all our patients who meet these criteria will be determined by vaccine supply, which continues to be substantially less than needed for all those eligible. UTSW will distribute vaccines as quickly as possible when they are received.

Because the initial supply of the vaccine is limited, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided recommendations to state and local governments about who should be vaccinated first. CDC’s recommendations are based on those from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), an independent panel of medical and public health experts.

Recommendations are made with these goals:

• Decrease death and serious disease as much as possible.
• Preserve functioning of society.
• Reduce the extra burden COVID-19 is having on people already facing disparities.

UT Southwestern is working efficiently to notify eligible patients and community members when vaccines and appointments become available. Our supply of vaccines is limited and dependent on shipments from the state. We are committed to delivering vaccine to our patients as quickly as possible. Please monitor your MyChart and email accounts for updates. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

• Existing UTSW patients: Yes. MyChart is the easiest way to schedule your vaccination and to read important updates. If you are already enrolled in MyChart, now is a good time to make sure your information is up to date. If you have never used MyChart, this website provides useful tips on how to get started. We also encourage you to download the MyChart app, available in the App Store or Google Play.
• All other community members: UT Southwestern Medical Center will reach out to registered, eligible individuals to provide a registration code to set up a MyChart account. Once that account is established, you will be eligible to schedule for available appointments at UTSW sites.

You will receive a MyChart message as soon as it is time to do so.

Not at this time. Please continue to monitor our UTSW vaccination page as well as your MyChart for updates and available appointments.

Additional vaccine locations can be found on the Texas Department of State Health Services map of COVID-19 vaccine providers.

Vaccines have already been paid for by the federal government with taxpayers’ money, so officials have said repeatedly they will be free. Vaccine providers may charge an administration fee, but it would likely be covered by health insurance.

UT Southwestern is receiving both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines. A Vaccine Science Review Committee established at UT Southwestern independently reviewed clinical trial data to identify any differences between the vaccines and determine if there were groups who should receive one over the other. UT Southwestern, along with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says both vaccines have nearly identical degrees of effectiveness and safety and that you should get whichever vaccine you have access to first. Both vaccines also require two doses, given three to four weeks apart.

The FDA authorized for emergency use vaccines created by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna. It uses what’s called messenger RNA (mRNA), which in this case is a synthetic material that carries the genetic code used to make the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The spike is the part of the virus that attaches to human cells. The mRNA is showing your immune system a part of the virus, so that when your body encounters the whole virus in real-life, it recognizes the invader and is able to mount a quick immune response, activating antibodies (B and T-cells) to fight it. That’s how the mRNA vaccines work.

While many vaccines use a weakened or inactive version of the virus to create an immune response, mRNA doesn’t contain any live virus, so there is no risk of it causing disease. The mRNA also never enters the nucleus of the cell and does not affect a person’s DNA. The body also contains enzymes that break down mRNA quickly, reducing chances for long-range side effects.

Vaccines using mRNA are new but the technology has been around for decades and has been used in treatments for other diseases such as cancer and cystic fibrosis. Another benefit to mRNA is that manufacturing large quantities of it is easier because scientists don’t have to grow live virus in a lab to make the vaccine.

In Phase 3 clinical trials involving thousands of people, both vaccines were nearly 95% effective in preventing COVID-19, which is about as good as it gets, according to the nation’s top infectious disease experts, including Trish Perl, M.D., Chief of UT Southwestern’s Infectious Diseases Division.

For context, the FDA had suggested a coronavirus vaccine would need to be at least 50% effective to earn emergency authorization. Most experts had hoped for 70%. The early results put COVID-19 vaccines in the efficacy realm of shots for chickenpox (92%), measles-mumps-rubella (97%); and polio (99%).

In addition to preventing COVID-19, clinical trial data showed that patients who received the vaccine and contracted COVID-19 had no serious complications. This indicates that even if one gets COVID-19 after receiving the vaccine, the vaccine may prevent the most severe complications, much like the results of the influenza vaccine.

UT Southwestern’s Vaccine Science Review Committee independently reviewed clinical trial data of the vaccine candidates prior to administering a vaccine to employees and patients.

Read the Pfizer scientific review.
Read the Moderna scientific review.

UT Southwestern infectious diseases experts say there is no reason to think that this mutation will impact the effectiveness of the two vaccines that are currently available. Several mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have been documented since the beginning of the pandemic. This new lineage, which has been detected in Dallas and other parts of Texas, has three mutations in the spike protein, which may affect its ability to bind more effectively to host cells. The variant appears to be about 50% more transmissible or contagious and could become the dominant virus lineage in the U.S. by March. The emergence of these new variants reinforces the importance of getting a COVID-19 vaccine when one becomes available to you. We must continue to practice even stricter observance of the safety measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The variant does not appear to cause more severe disease and it does not affect the effectiveness of the vaccine or treatments such as monoclonal antibodies.

The first shot triggers the immune response, and the second one, often called a “booster,” primes the body to memorize the virus so it will recognize it immediately in the future and fight it off. Many vaccines require boosters, such as tetanus, shingles, and MMR.

The COVID-19 vaccines each require a second shot (21 days apart for Pfizer; 28 for Moderna). If you skip the second shot it’s less likely you’ll develop full immunity. Health care providers will try to make it as convenient as possible to set up both appointments at the same time and will provide reminders to get the second shot.

Yes. While the approved vaccinations are both mRNA vaccines, they are not identical. Clinical trials did not examine data regarding combining shots, so you should receive the same vaccine booster as your first dose.

The vaccines appear to maintain high efficacy rates regardless of age, sex, and ethnicity. For example, Pfizer’s vaccine was 94% effective in adults over age 65, according to safety data. Both vaccines have also been tested in people with stable pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and cancer, and efficacy rates held at essentially the same levels.

Cold chain requirements vary and are based on the formulation of the vaccine. In some, such as the Pfizer vaccine (stored at -70 degrees Celsius; think dry ice), the molecules become unstable and degrade if they are left out in warmer temperatures. Moderna’s vaccine needs to be stored at -20 degrees Celsius, or about the temperature of a regular freezer.

With additional studies being conducted, it could become apparent that the vaccines don’t require such low temperatures, but they were developed and tested in a specific way during the clinical trials so that is the protocol to follow. Several other vaccines in development, such as one from Johnson & Johnson, require only refrigeration.

It’s unclear how long natural immunity lasts after recovering from COVID-19, and there has been some data to suggest it begins to wane after 90 days. Similarly, the level of immunity you have after COVID-19 therapies such as convalescent plasma or monoclonal antibodies is unknown. There have been a few reported cases of re-infection, so the CDC may advise people to get a vaccine even if they have been sick with COVID-19 before.

There is a well-established testing and clinical trial regimen that must be followed for the FDA to consider approving a vaccine. For these COVID-19 vaccines, the research was performed concurrently, rather than consecutively, and the wait times for review of the research were substantially reduced through Operation Warp Speed, a federal program that invested in development and manufacturing of the vaccines.

No steps were skipped, and safety was not sacrificed for speed.

An independent and transparent monitoring board of experts reviewed the trial data, and career scientists evaluated it at the FDA. All of the clinical trial information will be published in peer-reviewed journals.

Vaccinology is one of the safest interventions we have in patient care and disease prevention, and it has a long history of protecting the public – from smallpox to polio to measles. Yes, there are low-grade side effects, but they are minor compared to the protections that a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine can provide.

Vaccines are typically tested in adults first to ensure they’re safe before pediatric trials begin. While historically, pregnant women have not been included in vaccine trials, a small number of women in the Pfizer clinical trial became pregnant during the study, without any short-term complications.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has said it will issue guidance soon on when or if pregnant patients should get vaccinated and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends the vaccine for women who are pregnant, wanting to become pregnant or breastfeeding. Women should discuss this with their personal physician.

At this time, vaccinations are approved for ages 16 and older. Since the clinical trials did not include children or expectant mothers, we expect to see additional data as Phase 3 and Phase 4 trials continue to expand. Results could be available in early spring.

Severe allergic reactions to vaccines are very rare, even for people who have a history of allergies to food, pets, environmental factors, or oral medications. Still, UT Southwestern is following the CDC’s recommendations and observing patients for 15 minutes in a safe environment after vaccination to monitor for any adverse effects.

Patients who have had a severe allergic reaction to a vaccine, an intravenous medication, or an injectable in the past should discuss COVID-19 vaccination with their provider. In the majority of cases, you can still get the vaccine but with a 30-minute observation period instead.

If you’ve had a severe allergic reaction to one of the components in the COVID-19 vaccines, such as polyethylene glycol or polysorbate, it is recommended that you do NOT get one of the currently available COVID-19 vaccines. Also, if you’ve had a severe or immediate allergic reaction to the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, you should NOT get the second dose until you discuss the specifics of the reaction with your provider.

If you are feeling unwell or are having symptoms of COVID-19, please speak with your provider who may recommend that you defer your vaccination until a later date.

There is no evidence or reason to think COVID-19 vaccines affect fertility, despite some claims to the contrary circulating on the internet. Those reports are rooted in the theory that because the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein resembles the syncytin-1 protein, which is crucial for formation of the placenta, the COVID-19 vaccines might prompt an immune response that targets the placenta protein. But virologists say the two proteins are completely unrelated and not similar enough to confuse antibodies that attack the virus.

Supplies will be limited at first, which is why state and federal officials have created a phased release schedule. Operation Warp Speed pre-purchased hundreds of millions of doses from six manufacturers, all of whom have been producing vaccine while seeking FDA approval.

Pfizer has plans to produce 1.3 billion doses by the end of 2021 and Moderna’s totals range between 500 million and 1 billion doses.

At this time, we are providing COVID-19 vaccinations at two locations in Dallas:

• UT Southwestern’s West Campus Building 3, 2001 Inwood Road.
• Dallas Market Hall, 2200 Stemmons Freeway.

As vaccine supply increases, we anticipate being able to offer vaccinations in other areas where we provide care, such as Collin and Tarrant counties. Please visit our Vaccination Page and monitor your MyChart messages for updates.

No. Although these drugs could help with potential side effects, they could also affect your immune response, making the vaccine less effective. It is recommended that you take them after your vaccine only if you are experiencing pain, swelling, or fever.

The most common side effect is soreness at the injection site and headache, with most side effects lasting less than 48 hours.

Clinical trial participants reported arm soreness, fatigue, chills, fever, or headaches that lasted a day or two, most often after the second shot. But that reaction is typically a sign that the vaccine is working – triggering the immune response (or inflammation) indicating your body recognizes this never-before-seen pathogen and is mounting a protective response against it.

The clinical trials will continue to monitor patients for side effects long after patients are vaccinated. The state of Texas will use the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a national system co-managed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and FDA, to track vaccine safety and side effects. Texas will also employ an app called v-safe, which sends vaccine recipients text messages and check-in emails to keep tabs on their health, as well as remind them when it’s time to get their second shot.

Phase 3 vaccine trial participants were monitored for 60 days after receiving their second shot, which is required before any safety data can be submitted to the FDA. Typically, if a patient hasn’t experienced severe side effects in 60 days, it is extremely unlikely they will. But because these vaccines are so new, significant long-term data are still being collected.

According to clinical trial safety documents released by the FDA on Dec. 7, there were four cases of Bell's palsy, a condition that temporarily weakens the facial muscles, among Pfizer clinical trial participants who received the vaccine. The rates of Bell’s palsy, however, were no different than what occurs in the general population and there is no evidence the vaccine caused the problem. Still, the FDA is likely to recommend follow-up investigation.

The FDA documents said the Pfizer vaccine showed 95% immunity seven days after the second shot and the Moderna vaccine showed 94.5% immunity 14 days after the second shot.

The booster is necessary to strengthen the immune response and provide near full protection. Also, keep in mind that exposure is still possible between doses, so continue to wear a mask and follow hand-washing and physical distancing recommendations.

There’s no definitive way to tell yet, but some studies have indicated it could last years, even decades. The research showed that patients who contracted COVID-19 early in 2020 had robust antibodies six months later. Studies of survivors of SARS, also caused by a coronavirus, showed that participants carried immune cells 17 years after being infected. So there are some reasons to be encouraged, but scientists will need to continue monitoring the length and strength of immune responses in vaccinated patients.

Although both vaccines are very effective, they are not 100% effective, so it is still possible, but highly unlikely, that you could contract COVID-19.

Vaccine trials tested whether participants would produce antibodies to shield them from developing COVID-19 symptoms or severe illness, but it is still not clear if vaccinated people could develop asymptomatic infection and potentially transmit the virus. It is imperative that you continue to wear masks, practice social distancing and wash your hands.

No. The vaccines will not influence the results of PCR or antigen COVID-19 tests, as the vaccine does not contain the virus itself – rather it prompts the body to produce antibodies specific for the spike protein. The spike protein is like a key the virus uses to “unlock” and enter our cells. The PCR and antigen tests look for the genetic code of the virus itself, which is not contained in the vaccine, but rather is only present during the viral infection.

Yes. People will be getting vaccinated throughout much of 2021. Until a majority of the population has been vaccinated – some estimates say vaccinating 80% of Americans would help us reach herd immunity – wearing a mask, washing your hands, practicing physical distancing, and avoiding large, indoor gatherings will continue to be important tools to limit spread.