WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The COVID-19 vaccine is officially in Florida, so now what?
WPTV brought together a panel of doctors Thursday night to ask what's on your mind.
Hosted by WPTV anchor Shannon Cake, the discussion featured Dr. Denzil Seedial, Dr. Ramprasad Gopalan and Dr. Ravi Pandey.
Seedial is a critical care medicine and pulmonologist at Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Disorders Institute of South Florida, the largest integrated pulmonary and chest specialty group in Palm Beach County.
Gopalan is an infectious disease specialist who practices medicine in seven of Palm Beach County's hospitals.
Pandey is a board-certified internal medicine specialist and hospitalist who has practiced in South Florida since 1997. With diverse experience in private practice, outpatient, and hospital settings, Pandey is on staff at Palms West Hospital, JFK Medical Center, Select Specialty Hospital and Wellington Regional Medical Center.
The doctors covered a range of topics including side effects of the vaccine, who should get it, when will it be available and the differences in the vaccines.
Once the front-line workers and the elderly population get the shot, the vaccine could be readily available.
"I think in the future (five to six months) you may walk up to Walgreens or CVS and probably there will be enough for us to just go stand in line and get (a vaccine)," Gopalan said.
Pandey said the only people he advised not getting the vaccine are pregnant women, those who are immune comprised, people with Guillain-Barré syndrome and people with severe allergies.
Seedial emphasized that people should have a discussion with their doctor if they have concerns about getting the vaccine.
"When you get the vaccine, you can get immediate side effects, within the first 24 hours, which include pain in your arm, headaches, nausea, mild flu-like symptoms, and that has been reported, but it's something that should not deter anyone from taking a vaccine," Seedial said.
All of the doctors emphasized that the coronavirus is a disease of "unforeseen proportions" and the public should continue to wear a mask and social distance.