coronavirus

Sunnyvale Scientist Encourages Vaccines Despite Receiving Wrong Second Dose

Infectious Disease Expert Dr. Peter Chin-Hong of UCSF says this one instance is no reason for anyone to fear getting a vaccine.

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As more people get their first COVID-19 vaccination shot of Pfizer or Moderna, the focus then becomes making sure they get their second shot of the same vaccine on time. 

But, some people have gotten a follow up shot of a different vaccine.

It happened to Dr. Veena Thomas, a Sunnyvale scientist, at a vaccination clinic at El Camino Hospital on Maude Avenue.

She got the Pfizer shot about three weeks ago and the Moderna last Friday. It’s important to emphasize, she has a PHD from UCSF in pharmaceutical sciences and is CEO of her own chemical drug consulting firm. So, she wants the public to get vaccinated, but she also wants to make sure people feel safe doing it. 

“They asked me after the vaccine, ‘did you tell them Pfizer?’ and I said ‘of course, I told them Pfzier … and they said ‘someone flagged your file as Moderna’ and I started shaking, all the alarm bells went off in my head,”  Thomas said. 

She said she researched the drugs and felt better after finding  out the two are very similar, plus she had no extreme reaction. 

“I definitely had side effects but I think they were the same side effects as everyone else,” she said.

El Camino Hospital said Monday that out of more than 31,000 vaccines administered, this is the only occurrence they’re aware of. But are reviewing it’s already-strict protocols. 

Infectious Disease Expert Dr. Peter Chin-Hong of UCSF says this one instance is no reason for anyone to fear getting a vaccine. 

“Yes it doesn’t present much of a health risk, and in fact I would say that that person is likely going to have the same benefit from the vaccine as somebody who got two of the same kind,” he said.

Doctor Thomas agrees and would like to see clinics in general review protocols, but says she believes this was simply human error and would not want anyone to think they shouldn’t get a vaccination.

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