CDC says it will use monitoring system for those who get COVID-19 vaccine

The CDC plans to monitor people who get the coronavirus vaccine once it’s made widely available, and it’ll all be done through people’s phones.

We got mixed reactions from people Thursday when we told them about the monitoring plan.

Some people think it will be a great source for further research that will help us all, but some say they are skeptical about how the plan will impact their privacy. The COVID-19 vaccine is not available yet, but people are already planning what they’ll do once it is.

“We’re torn because I’m definitely getting it, but she’s not going to get it,” Benjamin Heavener said.

“I would definitely get it. Yes,” Tammy Dodson said.

The CDC wants to monitor everyone who gets the vaccine, using text messages and online surveys to check for any health problems after people get the shot.

“My first initial thought is just another way that they can just track us,” Tim Fields said.

“I think it’s beneficial, anything that would help the whole research of it,” Dodson said. “think it’s a good idea.”

The program is called V-SAFE (vaccine safety assessment for essential workers).

The CDC plans to do daily monitoring the first week after a person gets the vaccine. Then, it will check in weekly for six weeks after.

“I think it should be our choice if you want to do it,” Scott Flowers said.

“I think it just helps to ease people from being more paranoid or fearful if we can have more knowledge of what’s going on,” Heavener said.

Doctors say this is an important part of making sure the vaccine is safe for all, especially because of how quickly scientists are making it.

“The idea with this new way of doing things is to be more proactive,” said Dr. Rebekah Bernard, the president of the Collier County Medical Society.

It is unclear right now if everyone who gets the vaccine will have to participate in the program, but Bernard explained how informed consent factors into this. She told us part of deciding to get the vaccine might be deciding whether or not people want to participate in the monitoring program, and that’s how the CDC can make sure everyone knows exactly what they are signing up for.

“The worst thing that could happen is to unroll a vaccine on a mass scale and then discover after many people have received it that it has some serious effect or adverse effect that could be more dangerous than the disease itself,” Bernard said.

MORE: CDC – Ensuring the Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines in the United States