Here are 24 questions and answers about COVID-19 vaccination in Jinan, according to experts of the Jinan Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Q1. Is COVID-19 vaccination a necessity?

Yes, it is. Almost nobody in our country has immunity against the coronavirus and people are generally susceptible to it. Once infected, serious diseases can develop and even lead to death. The vast majority of people can gain immunity by getting vaccinated. An effective herd immunity barrier to stop the spread of COVID-19 can only be achieved when the vaccination rate in the population reaches a certain level.

Q2. Who should get vaccinated for COVID-19 in Jinan?

From now until June 30, people aged 18-59 who are working, studying or living in the city and those aged 60 or above who are willing to be vaccinated can get vaccinated for free.

From July 2021 to the end of December 2021, we will continue to vaccinate people aged 18 to 59. According to the provincial deployment, people aged 60 or above, patients with basic illnesses, and other high-risk groups at high risk should be vaccinated.

Q3. How do I make a vaccination appointment in Jinan?

People can register and make appointments at subdistricts, towns, communities, or villages and get vaccinated at the centers for disease control and prevention across the counties and districts.

Q4. When and where should people in Jinan get vaccinated?

According to demand for vaccination services, existing facilities and areas covered, the health departments in the areas where residents are located shall plan and increase the number of vaccination units and publicize the information of vaccination units to the public so as to help residents receive vaccination services nearby. Inoculation unit will provide inoculation services.

Q5. What type of COVID-19 vaccine do Jinan citizens receive?

There are many different types according to the technology being used, such as inactivated vaccines, recombinant vaccines, vector vaccines and nucleic acid vaccines.

Currently, the domestic inactivated vaccine is approved to be used in Jinan. An inactivated vaccine is a type of vaccine prepared by chemical methods to make the virus lose its infectivity and replication power, while keeping the activity of human immune response.

Q6. How safe are the COVID-19 vaccines?

Like other vaccines, the quality and safety of COVID-19 vaccines has a series of safeguards. In the process of vaccine production and manufacturing, the national drug regulatory authorities have clear requirements on the production and manufacturing standards of enterprises. Before vaccines are registered, they must undergo strict animal experiments and clinical studies and implement a strict batch issuing system before they are marketed and used. Therefore, the safety and efficacy of vaccines approved for marketing by the state meet the qualified standards.

Q7. Is it still necessary to take the nucleic acid test after vaccination? Can the nucleic testing report be replaced by a vaccination certificate?

Vaccination can reduce the risk of infection to a certain extent, but no vaccine is 100 percent effective, and nucleic acid testing should still be carried out in cooperation with relevant departments when necessary.

Q8. What types of COVID-19 vaccines are currently available worldwide and in China?

Currently, there are eight major COVID-19 vaccines under development worldwide. They are inactivated vaccine, attenuated live vaccine, replicative vector vaccine, non-replicative vector vaccine, DNA vaccine, RNA vaccine, protein subunit vaccine and virus-like particle vaccine.

In China, there are inactivated vaccine, adenovirus vector vaccine, recombinant protein vaccine, and nucleic acid vaccine (including DNA vaccine and RNA vaccine).

Q9. Is it possible for people to get infected after vaccinated?

The third period clinical trials in many countries verified the effectiveness of the vaccine. However, no vaccine can provide perfect protection. Due to personal physical conditions, the vaccine may not be effective and it is still possible for people to get infected.

Q10. Is it still necessary to wear masks after vaccination?

Since no vaccine can provide 100 percent protection, a few people could still be infected. The population immune barrier has not been established at present.

Therefore, prevention cannot rely entirely on vaccination. People should wear masks, maintain social distancing and practice good hygiene.

Q11. Is it necessary for people who had COVID-19 to get vaccinated?

While there were some cases of COVID-19 reinfection around the globe, most people who have had the virus produced the corresponding antibodies, similar to getting a vaccine, and therefore they are not advised to get vaccinated.

Q12. After receiving a vaccine, what should I do if a serum antibody test comes up positive during entry-exit inspection?

When those who have been vaccinated receive a positive serum antibody test but negative result in other tests, they should show their proof of vaccination to authorities for further diagnosis.

Q13. Can I take the COVID-19 vaccine with other vaccines, such as the HPV vaccine, flu vaccine or rabies vaccine?

The COVID-19 vaccine is a new vaccine, so it is not recommended that you get a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as any other vaccine and the interval between COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines should be no less than 14 days. But if one that has rabies needs to take a rabies vaccine they should take the rabies vaccine first.

Q14. Do antibodies need to be tested before receiving COVID-19 vaccines?

There's no need to check if you have generated antibodies unless you have been infected.

Q15: How long does it take to produce antibodies after vaccination?

Clinical studies have shown that antibody production generally begins seven days or 10 days after the first dose of the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine. The current evidence suggests that the vaccine can protect an individual for at least half a year.

Q16. Can chronic patients such as those with hypertension, diabetes, or thyroid disease get vaccinated?

People with chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes can get vaccinated if they are in a stable state. If the relevant indicators are not stable, or in the acute attack period, it is recommended to postpone the vaccination. People with hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are in stable condition can be vaccinated, while those who are not in stable condition are not advised to get vaccinated.

Q17. Can people with a history of allergies get vaccinated?

People who have severe allergic reactions (such as acute hypersensitive reaction, angioneurotic edema, and dyspnea) during previous vaccination shall not be vaccinated. It is recommended to suspend vaccination if you are currently having allergies.

Q18. What are the likely side effects after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine?

Common side effects include headache and fever, coughing, redness at the injection site, loss of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Q19. If I miss the second vaccine dose, what should I do?

No clinical research data is available regarding different immunization procedures, so the maximum interval between the two shots is currently not known. You should complete the vaccine doses as soon as possible if you have deviated from the recommended schedule.

Q20. Who cannot be vaccinated?

(1) People who are allergic to any component in the COVID-19 vaccine

(2) People who had severe allergic reactions (such as acute hypersensitive reaction, angioneurotic edema, and dyspnea) during previous vaccinations

(3) People who suffer from acute disease, chronic disease, acute stage of chronic disease, and fever

(4) Woman during pregnancy

(5)People suffering from uncontrolled epilepsy and other progressive nervous system diseases, people who have Guillain-Barre syndrome

The specific instructions of the vaccine shall prevail.

Q21. What are the dos and don'ts before and after vaccination?

People should learn about the COVID-19 and vaccination process before they are vaccinated. People should take relevant documents (ID cards and passports) and do personal protection according to local prevention and control requirements when vaccinated. People should stay at vaccination sites for about 30 minutes for observation after vaccination.

Q22. How many shots should I get for the vaccine? Where is the vaccine injected?

The COVID-19 vaccine currently recommends two shots with at least 14 days between them. The inoculation site is the deltoid muscle of the upper arm. Different vaccine products have different inoculation procedures and injection spots, which shall be subject to the instructions of vaccine products.

Q23. Can I use different COVID-19 vaccines interchangeably for the two shots?

It is recommended that you use vaccines produced by the same manufacturer to complete the series.

Q24. Why do people have to stay at vaccination sites for about 30 minutes for observation after vaccination?

After vaccination, some people will experience acute allergic reaction or fainting. The reactions usually occur within 30 minutes of vaccination. If you leave the observation site immediately after vaccination, it may cause accidental injury.