NOTE: This message was emailed to all Ballad Health team members from Alan Levine, Ballad Health’s chairman and chief executive officer, on Friday, Dec. 11, 2020.
Dear Colleague:
In the midst of a challenging time for everyone, hope does, indeed, fill our hearts today.
As we near the end of an extremely difficult year, we received promising news yesterday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted Emergency Use Authorization for the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.
This is an important milestone for those of us on the front lines who are making heroic efforts to serve our patients – while also giving hope to our communities, our small businesses and everyone who longs to get the virus behind us. This vaccine will give us another tool to stop the spread, even if by itself it will not be an immediate solution.
While approval of this vaccine certainly DOES NOT mean the pandemic is over, it undoubtedly gives us a glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel. The successful creation of the vaccine also represents the incredible power of American ingenuity, which proves that, when we all work together to achieve a common goal, we can do it. I credit President Trump with the creation of the imperative to get a vaccine quickly to market, and I find incredible hope in the mechanisms used to create this vaccine. The mechanism, a form of synthetic biology, has created the opportunity to bring a vaccine to market more quickly while not having to use a live virus. This is not a new thing, as similar efforts are underway in the treatment of cancer through immunotherapy, and the opportunities through advancement in our knowledge have no limits.
How do we know the vaccine is safe, considering how quickly it was developed?
The clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines have been as large as those for other vaccines, and once collected, the data from those trials undergo several rounds of review by different, independent groups of experts in immunology, statistics, infectious disease, virology and vaccinology. These vaccines are being put through the same rigorous review and tests of other vaccines developed over the years and must meet the stringent criteria for safety and efficacy.
During its phase 3 trial of more than 43,000 participants, Pfizer/BioNTech announced its vaccine was 95% effective at preventing mild to severe COVID-19. This is remarkably good news which means we can expect excellent personal protection from vaccination. Studies released earlier this week show the vaccine has a good safety profile. Mild-to-moderate side effects may occur as a result of developing immunity, but the side effects should resolve on their own in a day or two. These include soreness at the injection site, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain or mild fever. Serious adverse events were uncommon at less than 1%.
To put this in perspective, the typical flu vaccine, according to the CDC, comes with similar potential side effects – including soreness/redness/swelling at the injection site, headache, low grade fever, nausea, muscle aches and fatigue. More serious side effects from the flu vaccine occur in a very small number of cases.
The similarities in the side effects result from the fact that the body’s creation of immunity is the cause of the side effect. In other words, as the vaccine is introduced, our bodies immediately recognize something new, and the body’s natural immune response occurs. Typically, just like when we get the common cold, most of the symptoms of the cold are not the virus itself, but the body’s inflammatory response, which is our immune system at work. In the case of the COVID-19 vaccine introduced by Pfizer and BioNTech, there is no live virus introduced to the body, and rather, it provides a pathway for our body to recognize what the COVID-19 virus looks like, and our bodies build the immunity without ever having had to endure the virus itself.
How has Ballad Health been evaluating the vaccines?
Months ago, Ballad Health formed a COVID-19 Vaccine Workgroup, composed of leaders within the health system, state health organizations and the medical community, for the purpose of reviewing and sharing information about the various vaccine development initiatives. Since Nov. 13, the workgroup has published 5 newsletters with general vaccine information to help you make informed decisions. Those newsletters can be found by visiting our COVID-19 Vaccine update page (balladhealthnews.org/covid-19-vaccine-information-center/). We will continue to share information about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines as more information becomes available.
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine will begin shipping to states within the next 24 hours. Because quantities are limited at first, we will follow the best practices and recommendations from federal and state governments and health organizations. Highest priority will initially be given to hospital based front line health care workers with direct patient exposure or potentially infectious material, and to residents of long term care facilities. Vaccine supply is expected to increase steadily in 2021, and we will act quickly to make the vaccine available to everyone who wants it.
So far, former Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama have said they plan to take the vaccine on camera to promote its safety, and when it becomes available to me, I intend to do the same.
Remember, we are not making this vaccine mandatory for Ballad Health team members at this time. We do respect that some may have a desire to wait and see, and feel it is prudent to respect your health care decisions. As you know, we do require the flu vaccine, and that requirement remains in place. Over time, we may revisit this COVID vaccine policy once there is more data from which to provide comfort to those who would prefer to observe the experience of those who have been vaccinated.
Thank you to those who have been advocating in the community
I want to acknowledge those of you who have been strong advocates in the community for masking, social distancing, hand washing and other infection prevention measures. We thank you for your willingness to speak out on these important issues, and use not just your clinical talents, but also your voices, for good.
During a press conference yesterday, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam highlighted Ballad Health and acknowledged the challenge we face. He actually shared a video of one of our team members at Holston Valley Medical Center – Emily, a registered nurse who used her voice to tell her story about working with COVID-19 patients. Gov. Northam took Emily’s voice, and her recommendations, and turned those recommendations into action – crediting Emily. In this case, Emily was a direct advisor to the governor of Virginia – her voice was powerful enough to supersede all the other noise. What a powerful example of our form of government and how our voices really do matter. Here is the video from the Ballad Health YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An0kPdrBv9g&feature=youtu.be
Additionally, many of our team members have shared their stories with national news organizations, like CNN, NBC News, the Associated Press and others. If you want to view any of those video clips, you can find them by visiting the external Ballad Health YouTube Channel on a personal device. Here is the link for that channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHnhL-yGkT7ABIj75hQ7lBg/videos
For those who wish to share your stories, please film a brief video of you sharing your message, and email it to socialmedia@balladhealth.org – or feel free to contact a member of the marketing department.
As I said earlier, this vaccine will be an important tool, but in the coming months, infection prevention measures such as mask wearing and physical distancing will continue to be vital in our fight against this pandemic.
It is undeniable that these past few months and weeks have been difficult for our region as cases, hospitalizations and deaths, continue to rise. There are more than a few people who choose to question the validity of the pandemic and the every day reality you are facing on the front lines.
I know it is painful to see and hear people denying what you are seeing with your own eyes. Believe me, it frustrates me as well, and at times, I’ve been prompted to push back on it. But remember this: Our region is overwhelmingly filled with good, honest people who want to help others and and serve their communities. Despite what a loud minority might say, which always seems to be the case, the majority of people in this region HAVE YOUR BACK. They see you. They know the sacrifice you are making, and the long hours you are giving to these patients. They support what you are doing, and in their eyes, and ours, YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED AS HEROES.
I wish you all good health and joy – the joy that comes from using the gifts God has given us in the service to others.
Best,
Alan
Alan Levine
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Ballad Health
