Q&A: Can I get vaccinated here AND in the US for better efficacy?

Dear COVID-19 SMA:  A question from Randy Hummel

Q:  I believe the vaccine coming to SMA may be the Sinovac, the CoronaVac or the AstraZeneca vaccine. My wife and I (both Temporary Residents with CURPs) hope to travel to the US this summer to see family. I am in the 60+ group and am registered for the vaccine here. She is in the next group so should be able to get vaccinated here (hopefully) shortly after me. Are there any risk/danger/adverse consequences to getting vaccinated here and then getting a different vaccine in the US with higher efficacy? Thanks in Advance

A:  This is a GREAT post and question, and thank you for being brave enough to ask it.  I am sure this thought has crossed the minds of many living here in Mexico since we have the unusual circumstance of having a close border and citizen access to the US and Canada and choices of receiving the vaccines offered there.

Thank you for asking because it allows us to provide some very important and much needed education.

The simple answer to the safety questions is still, we don’t know.  The IMPORTANT answer to the ethical questions is NO YOU SHOULD NOT.  You would very literally be taking a vaccine regiment from another human being on this planet and here’s why.

This question being asked is NOT “Can I get the first dose of Vaccine “A” here and a second dose of Vaccine “B” when I return to the states” (which by the way we don’t yet know the answer to).  What this question is asking is “Is it safe for me to get two doses Vaccine “A” here and then return to the States and get two doses of Vaccine “B” because it has better efficacy.”  This question is asking can I have double my allotment of vaccine just because I can access vaccines in different countries and because I may be able to get a better one the second time around.  I am not criticizing the question.  I actually applaud the ask.  We can’t learn unless we break things down and unpack the important stuff.

And the important stuff here is that we do not have enough vaccines in the world right now for anyone to have double their allotment.  I’ll say it again.  You would be literally taking the second round from another person somewhere in the world and there is nothing OK about that.

The massive inequalities emerging with regard to COVID-19 vaccine procurement and delivery are staggering.  16% of the world’s population have snapped up, at least, 70% of all COVID-19 vaccine doses available in 2021.  Huge supply deficiencies in poorer and middle-income nations will result in the latter group suffering more sickness and death for several years to come, increased risk of variants and mutations, and a prolonged pandemic for the entire world, INCLUDING even those vaccinated.  If we are ever to return to some semblance of normality, then the world’s population needs to be immune to SARS-CoV-2.  There is a global program called COVAX that aims to redistribute excess vaccine doses to countries without access. This is where EVERY single extra allotment should go for people who haven’t received their first dose, not into our arms for second allotments.

I will also address what is a valid fear of many, which is “I really want to get the vaccine with the best efficacy”.  It is not possible at this time to fairly and completely compare vaccine efficacy.  They weren’t tested under same conditions, in same populations, in same countries and even with same endpoints.  Some did trials before cases surged, some before variants were evident, some did trials smack dab in the middle of countries with extensive variants, some looked at different outcomes.  What you can compare is how these vaccines work to prevent severe disease and death and as you can see from the chart below, so far, with what’s recorded, it’s 100%.

You have a choice to make.  Do you get vaccinated here as soon as possible with a vaccine that will offer you a lower stated efficacy but still close to 100% prevention of severe disease, or do you wait longer without vaccination and get it done in the US this summer with a vaccine with a higher stated efficacy and close to 100% prevention form severe disease?

No one can make that decision for you.

But I will say again and again when it comes to this virus…. we need to think globally and that means thinking of others all around the world because it ultimately affects each of us.  My advice would be get vaccinated as quickly as you can, where ever you can (if safe is travel is possible) with whatever approved vaccine you have access to.  The approved ones to date show the protection you need to prevent severe disease.   This is our first step of many in the fight against COVID-19.  If we all work together, we can help end the pandemic quicker.

Jessica Frick Liston