Phoenix doctor urges people to get whichever COVID-19 vaccine is offered to them

As more people in Arizona are getting vaccinated against COVID-19, doctors are urging anyone who may be waiting for a certain type of vaccine -- be it Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, or Johnson and Johnson -- to get the one that is first available.

As of March 17, more than 1 million Arizonans have been fully vaccinated, about 14% of the state's population. Doctors are thankful for the development.

"Everyone is very excited to have three options right now," said Dr. Omar Gonzalez, an infectious disease consultant at Dignity Health.

Starting on May 1, health services officials say they are preparing for all people 16 or older to get their dose, and doctors like Gonzalez say when it is more widely accessible. it is important to get the vaccine that is first available.

"As an American, we like to choose what we want, but what is best for you is to get the vaccine that is available to you," said Dr. Gonzalez.

Dr. Gonzalez says the reason for that is because people could end up waiting longer, and as a result, their risk of contracting COVID-19 goes up. Dr. Gonzalez also says even though some may be concerned with the Johnson and Johnson vaccine's effectiveness of 85%, compared to Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech's 95%, he says it is still an effective vaccine to protect oneself.

"The reality is with Johnson and Johnson, not only in the U.S. but in Brazil, people that were hospitalized and dying, how many were in Johnson and Johnson? There were zero," said Dr. Gonzalez.

On top of this, Dr. Gonzalez says some people have not been getting the 2nd Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna dose, which he says is crucial for the vaccine to work the way it is designed.

"You want to have your maximum immunity with the goal," said Dr. Gonzalez. "If you are hit by a variant. you still have enough antibodies to counteract the variant."

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COVID-19 symptoms

Symptoms for coronavirus COVID-19 include fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. These, of course, are similar to the common cold and flu. 

Expect a common cold to start out with a sore or scratchy throat, cough, runny and/or stuffy nose. Flu symptoms are more intense and usually come on suddenly, and can include a high fever. 

Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear more slowly. They usually include fever, a dry cough and noticeable shortness of breath, according to the World Health Organization. A minority of cases develop pneumonia, and the disease is especially worrisome for the elderly and those with other medical problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or heart conditions.

COVID-19 resources

CDC Website for COVID-19

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus

https://espanol.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html (In Spanish/En Español)

AZDHS Website for COVID-19

https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/index.php#novel-coronavirus-home

https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/es/covid-19/index.php#novel-coronavirus-home (In Spanish/En Español)

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