By: Jamie Thompson
Updated: Jan. 13, 2021
Originally Published: Jan. 13, 2021
Image Credit: RyanJLane/Getty
I can’t speak for all grandparents, but the ones in our lives are certainly eager to see our kids. My mother and stepfather reside in Utah, while my wife’s parents are in Idaho. They’ve been making the best of the situation with FaceTime and phone calls. My mother-in-law has been great about reading stories to my six-year-old, and I’ll admit, after being cooped up with her for months, having Grandma read stories online has probably saved my sanity. However, it’s been many months since Grandma and Grandpa have seen our children, and with vaccines rolling out, the big question for our family (and likely yours too) is: when can we finally visit?
Like everything related to COVID-19, the situation is complex, and the first step is vaccination. As reported by NBC News, the next groups in line for the vaccine, after healthcare workers, include essential workers and individuals over 65 years old—a change from the original recommendation of age 75 and above. It’s interesting to note that essential workers represent a much larger group than one might expect. According to The Wall Street Journal, essential workers number around 87 million, not including those over 75 unless they work in an essential capacity, such as in a grocery store or as teachers. So naturally, when Grandma and Grandpa will receive their vaccines remains uncertain, but it should happen within the next few months.
Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and visiting professor at George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, gave an insightful interview with CNN discussing when grandparents might visit grandkids without masks or social distancing. Her answers focus on risk mitigation.
Dr. Wen points out that there’s more to consider than just when grandparents will get vaccinated. The process involves two doses. “There is probably some level of immunity after one dose, but we don’t know how complete the protection is and how long it lasts,” she explained. With both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, there’s a waiting period for the second dose (three weeks for Pfizer and four weeks for Moderna). And then there’s more waiting: “After the second dose, it probably takes another two or three weeks to develop the optimal degree of immune protection,” Dr. Wen states. So, if you do the math, you’ll find that it takes about five to six weeks after the first shot for full immunity.
Even with both doses, the vaccine is only 95% effective. That’s a high level of protection—if I were to hear from my doctor that there was a 5% chance of something going wrong with a necessary procedure, I would still proceed. However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that there remains a 5% chance of contracting the virus post-vaccination. Fortunately, Dr. Wen notes that even if someone does contract COVID-19 after being vaccinated, the likelihood of developing severe illness is significantly reduced. That’s encouraging news.
However, there is still uncertainty regarding the potential for vaccinated individuals to carry and transmit the virus to others. Currently, there isn’t enough data to provide a definitive answer. According to The New York Times, “The coronavirus vaccines have proved to be powerful shields against severe illness, but that is no guarantee of their efficacy in the nose. The lungs—the site of severe symptoms—are much more accessible to circulating antibodies than the nose or throat, making them easier to safeguard.”
Consider our situation: My wife was hospitalized for three weeks in November 2020 due to a severe case of pneumonia that led to septic shock. It wasn’t COVID-19, but her doctor has advised that she is at high risk for complications if she contracts it. If her parents receive both vaccine doses and wait for it to take full effect, they would likely be protected from the virus. However, if they visit our children, there’s still a chance they could carry the virus to my wife, which could spell trouble given her recent medical history.
So, what does this mean regarding visits from the grandparents? According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, as reported by Newsweek, “around 70 to 85 percent of Americans will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to see a ‘dramatic decrease’ in cases and reach herd immunity… That 70 to 85 percent level of vaccination equates to around 230 million to 279 million of the total U.S. population of 328,239,523 people.” That’s a significant number.
Dr. Wen plans for her father to visit from Vancouver in the summer or early fall of 2021. While that may feel far off—especially considering how time seems to drag during the pandemic—it’s something to look forward to, which is more than we could say for the past several months.
Ultimately, it comes down to assessing the risk. Take the time to evaluate all factors: medical history, age, how many family members are vaccinated, and then make an informed decision. Relief is on the horizon, and soon enough, those grandkids will be able to enjoy some much-needed (and safe) hugs from their grandparents. They have a lot of lost time to make up for!
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Summary:
The eagerness for grandparents to reunite with their grandchildren amidst the pandemic is palpable. Vaccination is key, but the timeline for safe visits remains complex, hinging on vaccine distribution and individual health considerations. While optimism exists with the rollout of vaccines, the risk of transmission still poses a challenge. Families are encouraged to evaluate their unique circumstances to determine when it might be safe to enjoy those long-awaited visits.