IDPH regularly pulls random samples for sequencing that help detect new variants and better understand these variants at a statewide level, and even across the United States.
“IDPH and private labs pull random sample,” said Marianne Manko, MCHD Public Affairs Coordinator. “That just gives you an idea of where the variants are. We (the health department) just need to know how the virus is mutating. That helps us understand what is happening with the virus. This happens with all viruses. All viruses intend to not only multiply and survive but to get stronger. They need a human host.”
Commercial labs (such as Reditus) and hospitals in the state have also been encouraged to participate in the IDPH’s variant surveillance program.
“Not every specimen is sent for genomic sequencing, but surveillance gives health officials in a bigger picture of what is occurring with the virus, what variants are present and how prevalent, and helps us make adjustments to battle the spread of the virus,” said Manko. “While the most notable variants circulating in the US appear to spread more easily and quickly, studies suggest that the current COVID-19 vaccines are very effective against these variants.”
All viruses, including the SARS-Co-V-2 that causes COVID-19, constantly change through mutation. So new variants of the virus are expected to occur.
“When you think about how different the virus is today from what it was a year, it is a scary thought,” said Manko. “It’s just that much more important for us to encourage people to get that vaccine. Even when you hear about a variant and the vaccine not being effective, that is so slight. That’s really a small percentage.”
McLean County does not do genomic sequencing. Redditus is not required to check back with the health department. They report to IDPH and that’s where the McLean County health department gets their lead.
Side effects and the recent concerns
A few young COVID vaccine recipients have experienced cases of myocarditis following their vaccination, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s advisory panel.
Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle that decreases the ability of the heart to pump blood normally.
In fact, a Bloomington-Normal resident said his grandson, 21 , got his second Pfizer shot April 29.
“On May 5, he had a reaction to the shot causing him to get a rapid heart beat, high blood pressure (170), feeling that he couldn’t breath. That evening they took him to OSF PromptCare, they ran some blood work and did an EKG but didn’t know what caused it. Two days later he had another attack and they took him to the emergency room. They ran some more tests and couldn’t find anything they thought caused it so they sent him home. When my grandson was examined by a cardiologist, they told them he was having a reaction to the vaccine and that they had treated a bunch of young adults in the last several weeks,” said Jack Mervis. “They don’t know how long this will last and they don’t know how to effectively treat it yet. He is waiting for more tests to be done to see if it can be treated or if it just has to run it’s course. My grandson was told to not over do it and just relax around the house until they know what to do.”
Manko said there will be and are side effects to all vaccines.
“You should be having an intelligent conversation with your doctor about the vaccine. Vaccines have been around for a long time,” said Manko. “The vaccine programs have eliminated people being very, very sick.”
Manko said a huge part of development is in the way the vaccine is manufactured and the temperature.
“How it is going to be delivered? What kind of side effects there are? What is the amount it should be? How do people react? That’s the figuring out part, the actual vaccine itself is something we’ve known about,” said Manko. “Coronavirus has been around for two decades.”
