WE WILL STAY ON TOP OF THIS AND HAVE MUCH MORE COMING UP IN A FEW MINUTES. SEE YOU THEN. EMILY: SOUNDS GOOD, HARVEY. SEE YOU THEN. MORE PEOPLE WILL GET ACCESS TO THE COVID VACCINES NEXT WEEK, SO WE KNOW MORE OF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THEY WORK. HERE TO ANSWER SOME OF THE MOST COMMON ONES IS DR. HELEN BOUCHER, CHIEF OF GEOGRAPHIC MEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES AT TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER. GOOD TO SEE YOU. DR. BOUCHER: GREAT TO SEE YOU, EMILY. EMILY: FIRST THINGS FIRST -- ARE THESE VACCINES SAFE? DR. BOUCHER: THE GOOD NEWS IS, NOT ONLY ARE THESE VACCINES 95% EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING COVID DISEASE, BUT ALL EXPERIENCE FROM THE TRIALS AND OUR EXPERIENCE NOW FROM MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE THAT SIDE EFFECTS ARE MILD AND IT IS QUITE WELL-TOLERATED AND SAFE. EMILY: IS ONE VACCINE BETTER OR MORE EFFECTIVE THAN THE OTHER? DR. BOUCHER: OF THE TWO WE HAVE NOW, BOAST -- BOTH AT THE SAME 95% EFFECTIVENESS IN PREVENTING COVID DISEASE IN PEOPLE, INCLUDING SEVERE COUP -- SEVERE COVENANT AND INCLUDING OLD OLDER -- AND INCLUDING OLDER PEOPLE. EMILY: IS IT SAFE FOR ME TO GET A VACCINE IF I HAVE ANOTHER MEDICAL CONDITION, SUCH AS DIABETES, CANCER OR HEART ISSUES? DR. BOUCHER: YES, AND IT IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO BE VACCINATED IF YOU HAVE UNDERLYING CONDITIONS, BECAUSE YOU ARE AT RISK OF DOING POORLY WITH COVID. THOSE PATIENTS WERE INCLUDED IN THE TRIAL, SO WE KNOW THE VACCINE IS EFFECTIVE AND SAFE FOR THOSE PEOPLE. EMILY: ALONG THOSE SAME LINES, IF THEY ARE TAKING OTHER MEDICATIONS BLOOD THINNERS OR , IMMUNO-SUPPRESSIVE DRUGS? DR. BOUCHER: CERTAINLY BLOOD THINNERS. IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE DRUGS WERE INCLUDED TO SOME DEGREE IN TRIALS AND THERE WERE CONCERNS THAT PATIENTS WITH A DEPRESSED IMMUNE SYSTEM WOULD NOT RESPOND AS WELL TO THE VACCINE. THOSE INDIVIDUALS, WE WANT THEM TO BE OFFERED THE VACCINE, BUT IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW MITIGATION MEASURES OF WEARING A MASK, WASHING YOUR HANDS, WATCHING YOUR DISTANCING CROWDS AND STAYING HOME WHEN YOU ARE ILL. EMILY: COULD GETTING THE VACCINE TRIGGER A POSITIVE RESULT ON A COVID TEST? THESE VACCINES ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU COVID-19? DR. BOUCHER: THAT IS CORRECT. OATH OF THESE VACCINES ARE INACTIVATED, MEANING THEY DO NOT CONTAIN ANY VIRUS AND DO NOT CAUSE A POSITIVE TEST. EMILY: HERE’S A QUESTION THAT HAS SPREAD QUICKLY ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I HAVE SEEN IT A COUPLE OF TIMES COULD THESE VACCINES CAUSE , INFERTILITY IN WOMEN? DR. BOUCHER: THAT IS PART OF A DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THESE VACCINES HAVE ANY IMPACT ON FERTILITY. EMILY: YOU’VE HAD BOTH DOSES OF THE VACCINE. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE DOING NOW THAT YOU COULDN’T DO BEFORE? DR. BOUCHER: IT IS A REALLY GOOD QUESTION AND I WILL BE TOTALLY HONEST. I FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE. I FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE DOING ACTIVITIES THAT I JUST WASN’T DOING. I STILL WEAR A MASK MUST STILL MAINTAIN MY DISTANCE, BUT KNOWING I HAVE A 95% CHANCE OF BEING PROTECTED IS A VERY GOOD FEELING. . EMILY: ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE ANSWERS TO ALL THESE QUESTIONS.