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VERIFY: Answering your vaccine questions

The VERIFY team posed each question to two infectious disease doctors at different local hospitals.

SAINT LOUIS, Mo. — There’s a lot of misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines, so we compiled some of the most frequently asked questions sent to the 5 On Your Side VERIFY team. 

We took the questions to two infectious disease physicians: Dr. Alex Lacasse at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital and Dr. Jason Newland at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

Is it true if you had COVID-19 but didn’t know you had it, you can still get the vaccine?

Both doctors said this statement is true. Dr. Newland added, “Some people might say, ‘I’m going to delay [the vaccine] for 90 days after I’ve had COVID-19’ because you will have those protective antibodies. But the data does not show that you are at risk for some worse response because you’ve recently had COVID-19 and you get the vaccine.” 

What happens if someone has COVID-19 but is still in the asymptomatic period and gets the vaccine?

Both physicians agree getting the vaccine in this scenario is safe. They both said that it will not make the COVID-19 symptoms more severe.

Is it true you can get the flu vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine at the same time?

Both docs said this statement is false. People should get the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccine separately.  You should wait at least two weeks between vaccines.

Is it true you get the first shot from Pfizer and the second shot from Moderna?

Both physicians agreed this statement is false. Dr. Lacasse said, “We have to be careful here. Vaccines can be different from one another and really are specific to the immune system response.”  

Lacasse and Newland also said if you miss the second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, you need to restart the vaccine series.

    

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