>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO DOCTORS ON CALL.

I'M DR. PAULA TERMUHLEN, REGIONAL CAMPUS DEAN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA MEDICAL SCHOOL, DULUTH CAMPUS AND SURGICAL ONCOLOGIST WITH ESSENTIA HEALTH AND I AM YOUR HOST FOR OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT ON "COVID-19 UPDATE."

THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM IS VERY DEPENDENT ON OUR VIEWERS.

PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL YOUR QUESTIONS AND WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO ADDRESS THEM.

THE TELEPHONE NUMBERS AND EMAIL ADDRESS CAN BE FOUND AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN.

OUR PANELISTS THIS EVENING INCLUDE: DR RAJESH PRABHU, AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST WITH ESSENTIA HEALTH.

AND DR ANDREW THOMPSON, AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST WITH ST LUKE'S INFECTIOUS DISEASE ASSOCIATES.

VOLUNTEERS FOR THE GREAT GARDENING SHOW ARE ANSWERING OUR PHONES.

AND NOW ON TO TONIGHT'S PROGRAM -- WELCOME BACK, COLLINS.

IT IS BEEN A YEAR SINCE WE SAT AND TALKED ABOUT COVERED.

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT'S BEEN THAT LONG?

>> TIME GOES BY.

>> AND WE HAVE A VACCINE NOW.

I THINK THE QUESTION WE HAVE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT NOW TO KICK THINGS OFF TONIGHT, WHICH VACCINE IS THE BEST, DR. JOHNSON?

DR. THOMPSON: ANY VACCINE YOU CAN GET IS BEST.

THE VACCINES ITSELF ARE THAT HAVE BEEN IMPROVED HAVE GONE THROUGH RIGOROUS TESTING.

THEY HAVE BEEN PUT IN MILLIONS OF ARMS.

WE KNOW THEY ARE VERY SAFE AND EFFECTIVE.

CURRENTLY, THERE IS A JOHNSON AND JOHNSON.

THERE IS A PFIZER AND MODERNA WHICH ARE BOTH TO SHOT VACCINES AND HAVE SIMILAR TECHNOLOGY.

THEY ALL WORK WELL.

DR. TERMUHLEN WE ALSO NOW THE VACCINES WERE DEVELOPED WITH THE ORIGINAL CORONAVIRUS.

WE HEAR ABOUT THESE VARIANTS.

WHAT IS A VARIANT?

PARTICULARLY WE ARE HEARING A LOT ABOUT B117.

DR. PRABHU: THEY ARE THE NATURAL EVOLUTION OF THE VIRUS.

AS THE ORIGINAL MOVES THROUGH THE POPULATION IT MUTATES TO HAVE AN ADVANTAGE, MEANING IT IS ABLE TO GO TO ONE HOST TO ANOTHER.

IN ITS ORIGINAL FORMAT, IT MAY NOT TRANSMIT AS EASILY.

THESE VARIANTS TRANSFER MORE EASILY.

THEY SAY THAT THE B117 IS 50% MORE TRANSMISSIBLE.

THEY ALSO THINK IT COULD POSSIBLY PROVIDE -- CAUSE MORE SEVERE ILLNESS.

DR. TERMUHLEN: BACK TO VACCINES.

I HAVE BEEN HEARING A LITTLE BIT THAT THE VACCINE -- IF YOU DO GET COVID, EVEN IF YOU HAVE HAD THE VACCINE, MAYBE IT IS NOT SO BAD.

>> THAT IS WHAT THE VACCINES WERE ORIGINALLY STUDIED FOR.

WE KNOW THEY WORK VERY WELL.

IN PREVENTING SEVERE DISEASE.

NO VACCINE IS PERFECT.

THERE WILL BE A FEW CASES OF PEOPLE WHO GET FULLY VACCINATED AND THEN GET COVID.

BUT THEY WILL THEM MUST -- MUCH LESS SEVERE CASE OF COVID.

BECAUSE THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM HAS SOME WAY TO START FIGHTING OFF THE VIRUS.

DR. TERMUHLEN: SINCE WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT VACCINES, CAN YOU TELL OUR VIEWERS WHAT IT IS LIKE TO GET THE VACCINE?

ALL THREE OF US HAVE BEEN VACCINATED.

DR. PRABHU: I GOT THE PFIZER VACCINE.

SO TWO SHOTS.

THE FIRST SHOTS -- THE FIRST SHOT WAS THE TYPICAL MINOR SORENESS IN THE SHOULDER.

AFTER THAT, I WAS FINE.

THE SECOND SHOT, SAME MINORS SORENESS AND MAYBE I FELT A TINGLING IN MY ARMPIT, THING THAT IS MAYBE THE LYMPH NODES REACTING TO THE VACCINE.

I FELT TIRED FOR ABOUT A DAY.

AFTER THAT I WAS BACK TO MYSELF.

DR. THOMPSON: I ALSO GOT THE PFIZER VACCINE.

MY FIRST SHOT WAS LIKE GETTING A FLU SHOT.

I SECOND SHOT, MY ARM HURT A LITTLE MORE THAN A DAY AND I FELT ACHY AND TIRED, KIND OF RUN DOWN.

IT LASTED ABOUT 12 HOURS.

I WAS REJOICING KNOWING MY IMMUNE SYSTEM WAS REACTING TO IT AND REALLY BUILDING GOOD ANTI-BODIES, A MEMORY AGAINST THE VIRUS.

DR. TERMUHLEN: I ALSO HAD THE -- THE PFIZER VACCINE.

I DO SIMILAR EXPERIENCE.

I HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HOW REASSURED THEY FEEL NOTHING OF GOTTEN THERE VACCINE.

WELL, WHEN CAN WE EXPECT KIDS TO GET VACCINATED?

DR. PRABHU: I'LL TAKE THAT.

I HEARD ON THE NEWS TODAY THAT PFIZER WAS RELEASING DATA THAT IT WAS EFFECTIVE IN THE -- SAFE AND EFFECTIVE IN THE 12 TO 15-YEAR-OLD RANGE.

I WOULD EXPECT THAT QUITE SOON, LOWERING THE AGE LIMIT FOR THOSE VACCINES.

I BELIEVE THE PFIZER VACCINE OFFICIALLY IS NOW 16 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER.

MODERNA IS 18.

EXPECT FOR THEM TO LOWER THAT.

DR. TERMUHLEN: IS JOHNSON ALSO AVAILABLE FOR KIDS AND THAT 16-YEAR-OLD RANGE?

I THOUGHT I SAW SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

WE WILL HAVE TO CHECK.

HERE SOME THING I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE WE WENT ON THEIR -- ON AIR.

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST SPRING.

WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE NORMAL FLU SEASON.

WHAT IF EVEN SEEING?

WHY IS IT HAPPENING?

DR. THOMPSON: IT HAS BEEN A REMARKABLE FLU YEAR IN THE SENSE THAT WE HAVE SEEN VIRTUALLY NO INFLUENZA.

THERE ARE A LOT OF THEORIES ABOUT THAT.

WE DO NOT KNOW FOR SURE, BUT CERTAINLY A LOT OF THE NONPHARMACEUTICAL THINGS WE HAVE BEEN DOING, MASKING, DISTANCING, NOT GATHERING IN LARGE GROUPS, THAT IS LIKELY TO PLAY A ROLE.

A LOT OF KIDS HAVE NOT BEEN IN SCHOOL.

PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN TRAVELING.

MANY OF THOSE FACTORS ARE IN PLAY.

BUT IT REALLY HAS BEEN REMARKABLE IN THE SENSE THAT COLDS AND FLU HAVE BEEN PRETTY ABSENT.

DR. TERMUHLEN: I HEARD SOMEWHERE IN THE U.S.

THERE IS NORMALLY A COUPLE THOUSAND PEOPLE EVERY YEAR THAT DIED OF INFLUENZA.

THIS YEAR IT IS BELOW 500.

IT IS REMARKABLE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ELSIK -- IS COVID CONTRIBUTING TO THAT AT ALL, OTHER THAN THE MASKING AND PRECAUTIONS?

DR. PRABHU: THERE ARE SOME THEORIES THAT THERE IS A COMPETITION BETWEEN THE VIRUSES AND IF ONE GETS A FOOTHOLD -- BECAUSE IT IS A DRAMATIC DECREASE.

IT IS ALMOST CLOSE TO ZERO.

THIS IS NOT JUST A U.S.

PHENOMENON.

IT IS WORLDWIDE.

WHEN COVID FIRST CAME TO THE U.S., AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND CAN -- EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING.

DAD DRAMATIC DECREASES INFLUENZA.

DR. THOMPSON TALKED ABOUT OTHER FACTORS.

DR. TERMUHLEN: WE WANT TO THANK THE VIEWERS BECAUSE THEY ARE ON ITS.

LET'S SEE WHAT SOME OF THEIR QUESTION MIGHT BE?

SUE FROM DULUTH WANTS TO KNOW HOW SAFE ARE VACCINES, ESPECIALLY IF SOMEONE HAS A CLOTTING DISORDER?

WHO WANTS TO TAKE THAT ONE?

DR. THOMPSON: I WILL SAY IT AGAIN AND AGAIN.

THE VACCINES, THE ONES APPROVED IN THE U.S., ARE VERY SAFE.

THERE IS NO KNOWN PROBLEM WITH CLOTTING WITH THE VACCINES IN THE U.S. OR EVEN WITH THE ASTRAZENECA VACCINE, WHICH THERE WERE NEWS REPORTS ABOUT IT, BUT WHEN THEY FURTHER INVESTIGATED THAT IN EUROPE, THERE WAS REALLY NO KNOWN ASSOCIATION.

PEOPLE DO HAVE REACTIONS.

PEOPLE HAVE REACTIONS TO ANY VACCINE.

BUT THEY ARE THE SORT THAT ARE ONE IN 100,000 OR A FEW IN A MILLION.

PEOPLE HAVE ALLERGIC REACTIONS OR OTHER REACTIONS.

BUT THESE VACCINES ARE SIMILAR TO OTHER WIDESPREAD VACCINES IN THAT THEY ARE QUITE SAFE.

DR. PRABHU: LET ME ADD ONE POINT.

PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT CLOTTING EVENTS FROM VACCINES, BUT THEY HAVE TO KEEP THAT IN PERSPECTIVE.

COVID ITSELF -- THE LIKELIHOOD OF GETTING CLOTTING WITH COVID ITSELF IS WAY MORE THAN ANY VACCINE.

DR. TERMUHLEN: HELEN FROM DULUTH WOULD LIKE TO KNOW -- AFTER YOU HAVE HAD MAYBE BOTH DOSES OF THE PFIZER OR MODERNA OR ONE OF THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON, HOW LONG TO BE THINK THE VACCINES LAST?

DR. THOMPSON: JUST TODAY, PFIZER RELEASED IN A PRESS RELEASE -- SO WE HAVE NOT SEEN THEIR DAILY AT -- THEY ARE SAYING UP TO SIX MONTHS NOW, THERE VACCINE STILL PROVIDES A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF PROTECTION.

THERE WILL BE MORE TO COME.

WE DO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW YET ABOUT LONG THE VACCINE WILL LAST.

IT LOOKS LIKE AT LEAST SIX MONTHS.

DR. TERMUHLEN: TIM WANTS TO FOLLOW-UP ON THAT AND SAY, DO WE NEED A BOOSTER?

DR. PRABHU: THEY ARE DEVELOPING BOOSTERS FOR THE VARIANCE -- VAR IANTS.

EXPECT THIS LATER IN THE FALL.

DR. TERMUHLEN: IF YOU HAVE BEEN VACCINATED, YOU STILL NEED AN UPDATED COVID TEST TO TRAVEL?

DR. THOMPSON: I WILL TAKE THAT, I GUESS.

FOR THE PURPOSES OF BEING CONSISTENT, WHOEVER, YOUR AIRLINE OR THE DESTINATION YOU ARE GOING TO, WILL STILL REQUIRE COVID TESTS.

VACCINATION, FOR THE TIME BEING, DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ENOUGH TO FULFILL THAT REQUIREMENT.

I THINK A LOT OF THESE GUIDELINES AND RECOMMENDATIONS WE CAN EXPECT TO CHANGE.

IT WILL NOT STAY THIS WAY FOREVER.

DR. TERMUHLEN: THIS IS BEEN A MOVING TARGET.

TRAVELING, COMING BACK INTO THE U.S.

IF YOU GO OUT OF THE COUNTRY, YOU HAVE TO BE TESTED.

I ACTION WAS ABLE TO TRAVEL A BIT THE SPRING BY CAR AND I'VE BEEN ON AIRPLANE AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN A REQUIREMENT FOR EITHER SHOWING MY VACCINATION CARD OR COVID TESTING EXQUISITELY.

BUT YOU DO HAVE TO MASK AND BE SOCIALLY DISTANCED.

IF YOU HAVE FOR AN FULLY VACCINATED -- IF YOU HAVE BEEN FULLY VACCINATED, CAN YOU CARRY COVID AND GIVE THE VIRUS TO SOMEONE ELSE?

THIS IS CAROL FROM THE IRON RANGE WANTING TO KNOW.

DR. PRABHU: I THINK THERE IS MORE INFORMATION COMING OUT.

THE STUDY FROM ST. LUKE'S REGARDING WHAT ARE THE CHANCES -- I THINK THE EFFICACY IS 80% OR 90%.

VACCINATION REALLY REDUCES YOUR CHANCE OF EVEN HAVING AN A SYMPTOM ATTIC CASE.

-- A SYMPTOM ATTIC CASE.

DR. TERMUHLEN: JIM FROM HIBBING, WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT FLU, WANTS TO KNOW, WHERE DID THE FLU GO?

DO YOU NEED TO WEAR A MASK AFTER GETTING THE VACCINE?

LET'S DO THE MASK ONE FIRST.

THAT IS A QUESTION ON A LOT OF PEOPLE'S MINDS.

DR. THOMPSON: YOU DO STILL NEED TO WEAR A MASK AFTER YOU GET YOUR VACCINE.

AS WE KNOW, THE VACCINE IS NOT PERFECT.

IT IS LIKE, 90% EFFECTIVE.

BUT THERE ARE STILL A CHANCE YOU COULD GET COVID AND IF YOU'RE SYMPTOM ATTIC WITH COVID, YOU COULD GIVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE.

FOR THAT REASON, YOU STILL HAVE TO WEAR A MASK.

REALLY, RIGHT NOW, WE WANT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PREVENT TRANSMISSION.

WE WANT TO USE EVERY TOOL WE HAVE TWO STOP IT.

ONCE WE GET IT DOWN UNDER CONTROL, MANY OF THESE THINGS WE WILL NOT HAVE TO CONTINUE.

WE HAVE TO GET IT UNDER CONTROL FIRST.

DR. TERMUHLEN: CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW MINNESOTA HAS DONE WITH THIS?

DR. PRABHU: THE FOR THE ECHO -- FOR THE?

DR. TERMUHLEN: DO WE THINK IT HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE FOR ALL THE HARD WORK MINNESOTANS HAVE DONE?

DR. PRABHU: I THINK VERY EFFECTIVE.

IF YOU LOOK AT OUR RATES, THE WHOLE STATE, IT HAS DRAMATICALLY DECREASED.

I THING A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO A SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASKING.

EVEN WHEN IT STARTED GOING DOWN, A SMALLER PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WERE VACCINATED, BECAUSE THEY PRIORITIZED LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY RESIDENTS AND HEALTH-CARE WORKERS.

LUCKILY, NOW EVERYONE IS ELIGIBLE ABOVE 16 YEARS OF AGE.

DR. TERMUHLEN: WE SOMEONE WHO CALLED IN.

YOU MENTIONED THE OVER 65 GROUP.

PARTICULARLY THOSE IN THE CARE SETTINGS.

IF YOU GET A COVID SHOT AND YOUR OVER SIX HE FIVE, ARE WE STILL ANTICIPATING PEOPLE WILL NEED FOLLOW-UP SHOTS IN THE FUTURE?

THERE ARE NUMBER OF VACCINATIONS WE ALL GET AND SOME ARE TARGETED FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE OLDER BUT YOU ONLY HAVE TO GET IT ONE TIME.

ARE WE THINKING COVID WILL BE DIFFERENT?

DR. PRABHU: I THINK WHAT TORTURED YOUR THOMPSON ALLUDED TO, WE DO NOT REALLY KNOW -- I THINK WHAT DR. THOMPSON ALLUDED TO, WE DO NOT REALLY KNOW AT THIS TIME.

THEY WILL COME UP WITH NEW VACCINES RELATED TO THE VARIANTS.

WE ARE LEARNING REAL TIME HOW EFFECTIVE IT IS AND HOW LONG IT LASTS.

DR. TERMUHLEN: IF YOU'VE HAD THE FLU SHOT FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS, DO YOU STILL NEED THE COVID VACCINE?

I THINK THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY -- I DO NOT WANT TO CONFUSE OUR VIEWERS.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE FLU AND COVID.

THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT DISEASES.

THE VACCINES DO NOT CROSS OVER TO HELP ONE VERSUS THE OTHER, RIGHT?

DR. PRABHU: THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT VIRUSES, TWO DIFFERENT VACCINES.

DR. TERMUHLEN: ALL RIGHT.

SO, LET'S TALK AT THE FLU AGAIN FOR A MOMENT.

WHAT HAPPENED TO IT?

WE KNOW IT IS AROUND.

WE KNOW IT COMES IN A CYCLE EVERY YEAR AROUND THE WORLD.

WHAT HAPPENS TO IT?

DID IT GO UNDERGROUND?

DR. THOMPSON: I THINK IT'S UNDERGROUND.

IT IS NOT GONE.

FLU WILL BE BACK.

HIS LENS WILL BE BACK.

-- INFLUENZA WILL BE BACK.

THERE STILL A GOOD CHANCE A REALLY BAD FLU WILL BE BACK.

MAYBE A FLU WORSE THAN COVID.

THAT IS STILL A SIGNIFICANT POSSIBILITY.

THIS YEAR IT IS UNDERGROUND.

IT DID NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN A FOOTHOLD AND REALLY GET INTO THE POPULATION.

BUT WE KNOW IT IS A SEASONAL DISEASE AND WE KNOW THE CONDITIONS STILL EXIST FOR FLU TO MUTATE AND BE BACK.

PLAN ON GETTING YOUR FLU SHOT NEXT YEAR.

DR. TERMUHLEN: LET'S TALK ABOUT SEASONS FOR A MOMENT.

A YEAR AGO WE WERE ALL WONDERING IF THERE WERE BE A SEASONALITY TO COVID.

DID WE SEE SEASONALITY LIKE WE DO WITH THE FLU?

WHAT YOU THINK?

DR. PRABHU: I DID NOT THINK SO.

IT IS A YEAR-ROUND VIRAL ILLNESS.

OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, TROPICAL CLIMATES ARE STILL SUFFERING FROM COVID, EUROPE IS HAVING ANOTHER SURGE OF COVID.

THAT WAS MY WISH, THAT PERHAPS WHEN SUMMER COMES IT WILL GO AWAY.

BUT IT DID NOT.

DR. TERMUHLEN: WOW.

OK.

SOME OF OUR VIEWERS ARE PICKING ABOUT A VACCINE PASSPORT AND THEY ARE CARD THAT THEY GOT AT THE TIME THEY WERE VACCINATED.

WE ARE BACK TO VACCINES.

MARION WASHBURN WANTS TO KNOW, WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH THE CARD I RECEIVED AT THE TIME I WAS VACCINATED AND CAN I THROAT AWAY ECHO --?

DR. THOMPSON: I WOULD SAY HEY ONTO IT FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

-- HANG ONTO IT FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF POLICY DECISIONS THAT COULD BE COMING ABOUT THAT.

THE IDEA OF A VACCINE PASSPORT TROUBLES SOME PEOPLE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF IMPLICATIONS WE NEED TO THINK THROUGH BEFORE PUTTING THINGS LIKE THAT INTO PLACE.

KEEP THAT CARD TO SAVE JUST FOR YOUR OWN REFERENCE AND IN CASE YOU NEEDED IT FOR SOME REASON.

DR. TERMUHLEN: SOMEBODY OUT THERE, ONE OF THE PLACES THAT WILL LAMINATE FOR YOU, WILL LAMINATE FOR YOU FOR FREE.

I THING ONE THING -- FOR THOSE OF US WHO DO INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL, I HAVE THE YELLOW FEVER VACCINE AND THE WHO GIVES YOU THE YELLOW CARD AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT.

WE ARE WONDERING IF COVID WILL COME ALONG THE SAME LINES.

LET'S SEE.

SOMEONE DONATED BLOOD FLOOR WEEKS AFTER THE VACCINE AND WAS TOLD THEY HAD REACTIVE HEPATITIS B AND THEN THEY RETESTED AND WERE NEGATIVE THE SECOND TIME AND CANNOT GIVE BLOOD.

IS THERE ANY INTERACTION BETWEEN THE VACCINE AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF OTHER DISEASES?

DR. PRABHU: I'M NOT AWARE THERE IS.

WHENEVER YOU DONATE BLOOD THEY DO TEST YOU FOR OTHER VIRAL INFECTIONS, HIV, HEPATITIS.

SOMETIMES THEY HAVE FALSE POSITIVES.

WHEN THEY REPEATED THE TEST AND IT WAS NEGATIVE, MAYBE THEY WENT TO THEIR DOCTOR, BUT THEY WANT TO MAKE IT AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE SO THEY DO NOT TAKE ANY CHANCES.

EVEN IF IT IS A FALSE RESULT, YOU CANNOT DONATE AGAIN.

DR. TERMUHLEN: WE HAVE A QUESTION THAT RELATES A LITTLE BIT TO THE APPROVAL PROCESS FOR THE VACCINES.

EXPLAIN TO OUR VIEWERS ABOUT THE APPROVAL THE FDA IS CURRENTLY GIVEN FOR THE USE OF THE VACCINES.

DR. THOMPSON: CURRENTLY, THE VACCINES FOR COVID ARE ALL UNDER EMERGENCY USE.

THAT MEANS BECAUSE WE ARE IN A PANDEMIC, THE FDA HAS SAID, OK, WE WILL APPROVE THESE VACCINES, WE WILL KNOCKED OF THEM FULL APPROVAL, OUR FULL STAMP OF APPROVAL AND SO WE HAVE MORE DATA.

THE VACCINE MANUFACTURERS ARE CONTINUING TO COLLECT DATA.

I WOULD EXPECT SOON THAT THEY WILL AGAIN SUBMIT THAT TO THE FDA AND WE WILL HEAR ABOUT WHETHER THEY COULD GET FULL APPROVAL.

IT JUST INVOLVES SUBMITTING MORE INFORMATION.

DR. TERMUHLEN: IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, HAVING THIS EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION IS WHY DIFFERENT EMPLOYERS HAVE NOT MANDATED -- THEY DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO MANDATE IT.

LIKE THEY CAN WITH THE INFLUENZA VACCINE, BECAUSE THAT HAS BEEN FULLY APPROVED.

IS THAT CORRECT?

DR. THOMPSON: CORRECT.

DR. PRABHU: THE STUDIES ARE STILL ONGOING.

THAT WILL HELP ANSWER THE QUESTION OF HOW LONG DOES THE VACCINE LAST FOR THE PERSON.

THEY'RE STILL DOING ALL OF THOSE -- QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY, LONG-TERM.

AT LEAST TWO YEARS OUT.

DR. TERMUHLEN: CAN YOU GET COVID FROM THE VACCINE?

DR. PRABHU: NO.

DR. THOMPSON: NO.

DR. TERMUHLEN: I HAVE HAD THAT QUESTION ASKS ME.

COULD THIS TECHNOLOGY THAT WAS USED TO DEVELOP THE CODE VACCINE BE APPLIED TO THE FLU VACCINE BEFORE THE NEXT SEASON?

OR ARE WE HAPPY WITH OUR FLU VACCINE?

DR. PRABHU: I COULD TELL YOU THAT THE COVID VACCINE, THESE MRNA VACCINES, THEY WERE USING OTHER APPLICATIONS FIRST.

A BOLA E -- EBOLA WAS ONE OF THEM.

SARS AND MERS.

THEY ARE DEVELOPING ON FLU AS WELL, I AM SURE.

DR. THOMPSON: IT IS A MUCH FASTER WAYS TO MAKE A VACCINE.

THERE IS A LOT OF PROMISE FOR THIS MRNA TECHNOLOGY.

CURRENTLY, FLU VACCINES, AT LEAST SOME OF THEM, ARE STILL MADE IN CHICKEN EGGS, WHICH SOUNDS ARCHAIC.

BUT IT WORKS.

DR. TERMUHLEN: THE MRNA TECHNOLOGY IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN APPLIED TO VACCINES WE HAVE USED IN THE TREATMENT OF CANCER.

IT WAS SOMETHING -- IT IS TRULY REMARKABLE THING HOW THE COMPANIES CAME TOGETHER FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.

JUST A YEAR.

THE THREE OF US WERE ALREADY VACCINATED.

EVERYONE IN THE STATE OF EXIT -- OF MINNESOTA ABOVE THE AGE OF 16 IS ELIGIBLE.

TIM FROM DULUTH WOULD LIKE TO pKNOW, DOES VITAMIN D3 HELP LESSEN THE EFFECTS OF COVID?

DR. PRABHU: I KNOW THEY HAVE STUDIED IT, BUT I AM NOT FAMILIAR.

DR. THOMPSON: VITAMIN D HAS BEEN STUDIED IN A LOT OF -- A LOT OF THINGS, A LOT OF INFECTIONS, TUBERCULOSIS, COVID, OTHER THINGS.

THERE IS NO CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE THAT IT HELPS IN THE TREATMENT OR PREVENTION.

WE RELIGION NOT THINK SO.

AT LEAST I DO NOT THINK SO.

-- WE REALLY DO NOT THINK SO.

AT LEAST, I DO NOT THINK SO.

DR. TERMUHLEN: IF YOU HAVE HAD COVID YOU STILL NEED TO BE VACCINATED?

DR. PRABHU: I WILL TAKE THE FIRST SHOT AT THAT.

THEY HAVE STUDIED THAT IF YOU HAVE HAD COVID, THEY KNOW AT LEAST SIX MONTHS OUT THAT YOU ARE UNLIKELY TO GET COVID.

THE PERCENTAGE IS EXTREMELY SMALL.

WE WILL LEARN MORE LIKE HOW LONG THAT ABILITY OF YOUR OWN IMMUNITY WILL LAST, THEY STILL RECOMMEND GETTING THE VACCINE IF YOU HAVE HAD COVID TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM MORE.

DR. THOMPSON: THAT IS THE IDEA.

IT BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM.

THE VACCINE ALSO APPEARS TO PROTECT AGAINST VARIANTS.

WE DO NOT KNOW IF YOU GET NATURAL COVID INFECTION YOU ARE ALWAYS PROTECTED AGAINST THE NEW VARIANTS.

DR. TERMUHLEN: WE HAVE A CALLER FROM SUPERIOR WHO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW -- THEY ARE A LITTLE CONCERNED.

WISCONSIN JUST LISTED -- JUST LIFTED ITS MASK MANDATE.

WHAT MIGHT BE THE REIT -- THE REPERCUSSIONS OF THAT?

DR. PRABHU: MORE COVID.

DR. TERMUHLEN: CAN YOU CROSS VACCINATE ONE SHOT OF EACH KIND?

DR. THOMPSON: IT'S NOT RECOMMENDED TO.

IT IS REALLY RECOMMENDED YOU STICK WITH THE FIRST VACCINE YOU GOT.

IT IS NOT HARMFUL IF YOU GOT ONE VACCINE AND GOT ANOTHER.

IT IS JUST NOT RECOMMENDED.

DR. PRABHU: THEY ARE STUDYING THAT NOW.

LIKE PFIZER MADERA, JOHNSON & JOHNSON IS A KIND OF COLD VIRUS VECTORED VACCINE.

THEIR DRINK WHEN NICKEL STUDIED NOW -- THEY ARE DOING CLINICAL STUDIES NOW.

YOU GET YOUR SHIRT -- YOU GET YOUR FIRST SHOT AS AN MRNA VACCINE ENTER SECOND AS A COLD VIRUS.

DR. TERMUHLEN: AS WE GET READY TO WRAP UP, WE ARE STARTING TO HEAR, DOES THE VACCINE HELP THOSE WHO HAVE HAD THE LONG HAUL EXPERIENCE OF COVID?

WHAT'S WE KNOW ABOUT THAT IF ANYTHING?

DR. THOMPSON: I HAVE HEARD THAT SOME PEOPLE DO EXPERIENCE RELIEF FROM SOME OF THE LONG HAUL COVID SYMPTOMS AFTER THEY ARE FIRST VACCINE.

THERE IS NO SCIENCE I HAVE READ THAT, BUT I'M SURE IT WILL BE AN AREA OF ACTIVE RESEARCH, BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE ARE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT HAVE PERSISTENT SYMPTOMS OF COVID.

DR. TERMUHLEN: I THINK WE HAVE TIME FOR JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION.

OUR CHILDREN LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO COVID AND WHY?

DR. PRABHU: I KNOW EARLY ON THEY WERE SAYING THAT CHILDREN HAVE LESS SUSCEPTIBILITY IN GETTING COVID, BUT I AM NOT TOO SURE THAT WILL PAN OUT IN THE FUTURE, ESPECIALLY WITH VARIANTS, MEANING THE VIRUS MUTATES TO ADAPT TO YOUR HOST.

I DO KNOW THE VARIANTS ARE AFFECTING A YOUNGER POPULATION.

I WOULD SAY THEY ARE BOTH EQUAL, IN MY MIND.

DR. TERMUHLEN: I AM GOING TO SQUEEZE ONE MORE IN.

DR. THOMPSON, YOU MENTIONED WE COULD HAVE A BAD FLUTIST -- A BAD FLU SEASON?

WHY DO YOU THINK I COULD BE?

DR. THOMPSON: THE FLU IS A REALLY GOOD PATHOGEN.

IT EVOLVES QUICKLY.

IT CAN INFECT SWINE AND CHICKENS AND HUMANS AND MOVES BETWEEN THE HOSTS.

I DO NOT THINK WE WILL GET RID OF THE FLU UNLESS WE GET AN AMAZING VACCINE SOMEDAY.

DR. TERMUHLEN: I THINK FIRST NIGHT WE SHOULD REMIND ALL OUR VIEWERS TO GO AHEAD AND GET THE VACCINE.

I WANT TO THANK OUR PANELISTS: DR. RAJESH PRABHU AND DR. ANDREW THOMPSON AND OUR PHONE VOLUNTEERS FROM THE GREAT GARDENING SHOW.

I WILL BE LEAVING DULUTH IN MAY TO BE THE DEAN OF THE WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY, HOMER STRYKER MD SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IN KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

IT HAS BEEN A GREAT HONOR TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY BY MODERATING THIS SHOW.

PLEASE JOIN DR. SANDY STOVER NEXT WEEK FOR A PROGRAM ON "UPPER GI PROBLEMS: HEARTBURN, ULCERS & GALLSTONES" WHEN HER PANELISTS WILL BE DR. ROBERT ERICKSON AND DR. STEVEN VOPAT.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

GOOD NIGHT!