UCLA Nursing Professor to Join Local Congressman Schiff for Q&A on COVID-19 Vaccines

A UCLA nursing professor will be on-hand for an online question and answer session hosted by U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, to share her experiences both administering and receiving COVID-19 vaccines.

The forum will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday via Zoom, according to Schiff’s office.

The speaker, Kristen Choi, Ph.D., RN, serves as an assistant professor of nursing and public health at UCLA. She also practices in the area of mental health in Echo Park.

In addition to having a great deal of experience administering the new vaccines to others, Choi received the Pfizer vaccine as a volunteer while it remained in phase 3 trials, according to a statement issued by the congressman’s office.

“I have been a really big advocate for the COVID vaccines for some time now,” Choi said. “I have been thinking a lot about how we can help get people ready for these vaccines, to understand how they work, and then also just to feel confident about getting them.”

Choi said she has also been spending time distributing vaccines at mass distribution sites and drive-thru clinics in Los Angeles County.

“I know that people have some questions about the vaccines. We know that they are new. They were developed rapidly, faster than what we’ve typically seen in the past,” Choi said. “And so I felt like it was important just to provide that expert knowledge to people so they can understand how they work and feel comforted about getting them.”

“I think it can go a long way for trust to be able to say, ‘I’ve gotten this vaccine, myself. I trust it, and here’s why I think they should, too,’” she said.

Choi said she experienced some “pretty strong” reaction when she received the vaccine, which kept her in bed for much of the following day.

“After the second dose, I had quite a lot of side effects. The high fever, chills, nausea. I had a stronger reaction than what I’ve ever had to any vaccine before this one,” she said. “That experience really made me realize that we, as healthcare providers, are not necessarily fully prepared to have conversations with patients about side effects, how the vaccines work, and the fact that this is a new kind of vaccine.”

Data has shown that reactions to the COVID-19 vaccines tend to be stronger than those from other vaccines, such as that for influenza, according to Choi. 

“The really important thing for people to know about this is just to be prepared, to think about what your schedule’s like when you’re getting the doses, and being sure, if you can, that you have a little bit of space in your schedule in case you do have a reaction,” she said.

The younger and healthier the patient, the more likely there will be a stronger reaction to the vaccines, Choi explained.

“If you are under the age of 55, you are more likely to have a strong reaction to the vaccine,” she said. “It’s a bit counterintuitive…  but actually, because the way a vaccine works is by activating your immune system, people who are younger tend to have stronger immune systems that kick in with a stronger response. And so if you are younger, under the age of 55, your risk for having a strong reaction like mine might be a bit higher.”

While more research is needed, early evidence indicated the existing vaccines will “most likely” be effective on the new mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, such as those stemming from the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil.

“It’s important to know that research is still emerging. And so in addition to getting the vaccine when it’s offered to you, it’s very important to continue other measures that we know work for protection against this virus. And that includes things like wearing a mask in public, social distancing, staying home, avoiding crowds, washing your hands; all those things that people have been doing for a year or so now are one of our best bets and lines of defense for protecting against these new strains,” she said.

Although the vaccines were developed extremely quickly, “they were held to the exact same high bar of testing for safety and efficacy as every other vaccine that’s come before them,” Choi said. “It’s really a testament to science and to the work of scientists that we were able to do this so quickly.”

Those interested in taking part in Thursday’s meeting were invited to register online at ushr.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItceGuqTkiE28xMihAwWAppWStw2ZE6-U.