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COVID-19 vaccines for Asheville Pulmonary patients

There are now three COVID vaccines (Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson) that are approved for use in the United States. These vaccines are proven to be safe and effective among over 100,000 patients in published studies. These vaccines are thought to be critical to control the COVID pandemic. Our recommendation is that our patients receive the vaccine as soon as it becomes available for them, unless you have a history of severe allergic reactions (such as widespread hives or anaphylactic shock) to other vaccines.

The Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines require two separate doses, approximately 3-4 weeks apart. Your second vaccine should be from the same manufacturer as your first vaccine (Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna). The Johnson and Johnson vaccine requires only one dose.

You CANNOT get COVID from the COVID vaccine. Side effects of the vaccines include pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache, chills, body aches, and mild fever. These side effects occur more frequently in younger patients, patients with prior COVID, and after the second vaccine dose (if taking Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna).

If you have already had COVID, it is still recommended that you get the COVID vaccine once it becomes available to you.

Though these vaccines are very effective at preventing one from contracting COVID or experiencing severe health consequences of COVID infection, vaccinated patients should still wear masks, wash their hands, and practice social distancing precautions to further reduce their chance of catching COVID.

For further information, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html.

Buncombe County is now administering vaccines. Visithttps://www.buncombecounty.org/covid-19/default.aspx to register or for more information. Appointments for Buncombe County can be also made by calling 828-250-5000 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

For finding other vaccine locations and to check availability, please visit https://myspot.nc.gov/

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Mark A. Hellreich, M.D.

Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University

Board certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, and Critical Care.
Mark A. Hellreich, M.D.

Dr. Hellreich joined Asheville Pulmonary and Critical Care Associates in 1987. He is Board certified in Internal Medicine, Critical Care, and Pulmonary Medicine.

 

Joined Practice

• 1987

Education

• Undergraduate –Hamilton College, Clinton, N.Y.

• Medical School–Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University

Training

• Residency–Emory University Hospitals, Atlanta

Fellowship and Post-Doctoral

• Pulmonary–Duke University Medical Center

Honors and Appointments

• Ranked Among Best Pulmonary and Critical Care Doctors in Business North Carolina Magazine

• Critical Course Director for UNC School of Medicine, Asheville Regional Campus

• Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine UNC School of Medicine Chapel Hill

• Co-director of Pulmonary Rehabilitation at Mission Hospital

• Processional Society Member—Society of Critical Care Medicine

• American College of Chest Physicians

• American Thoracic Society

Board Certification

• American Board of Medicine, Pulmonary Disease

• American Board of Medicine, Internal Medicine

• American Board of Medicine, Critical Care Medicine

Hometown

• New York, N.Y.

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