We are still learning about both COVID-19 and the vaccines, but we know that getting COVID-19 can make you very sick. Most people who get the vaccine have either no or minor symptoms.
COVID-19 can be a deadly disease, but it is preventable with the COVID-19 vaccine.
Even when the person does not die from COVID-19, they may get very sick and stay in the hospital for many days. Many people who got COVID-19, but didn’t need to stay in the hospital, report health problems for months. Because we do not know the long term problems from COVID-19, don’t take a chance and get the vaccine.
By getting the vaccine, you protect not only yourself but also your family, friends, and co-workers because they will be less likely to get COVID-19 from you.
The more people get the vaccine, the sooner we can control the pandemic and begin to resume normal life.

A COVID-19 vaccine shows a small part of the virus to your body. This teaches your immune system, the body’s defenses, to see and fight the COVID-19 virus. The vaccine does not give you the virus.

The approved vaccines have been tested in tens of thousands of people and over 15 million Americans have received one or two doses.
They are effective and safe.
Many people who get the vaccines have no side effects.
Some people who get the vaccines do get minor side effects, but they usually only last for a day or two.
We do not know what the long term side effects from the vaccine is, but we do know that many people who get infected with COVID-19 are having ongoing health problems.

There are currently 2 vaccines approved for emergency use in the U.S.
Both vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) require two shots to be fully effective
There may be more vaccines approved in the near future.

The longer you wait, the higher your chance of getting COVID-19. There is no guarantee that the new vaccines will be better or safer than the two already approved.

The new variants have similar components to the old variant so the vaccine should be protective. But we are learning new things about the virus and the vaccines all the time. But if you are worried, this is a reason why those who have been vaccinated should continue to wear masks and practice social distancing.

The most common side effect is pain where the vaccine is injected. Most people have mild pain that improves after 1-2 days.
Other common side effects that usually last 1-2 days are fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, or feeling tired. They are mild for most people who get them, although some people may have to take it easy for a day or two.
Side effects such as rash, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are rare.

We do not have data on the vaccine and pregnant or breastfeeding people. So far, we think it is safe. You should discuss with your health care provider the risks and benefits of the vaccine versus COVID-19.

Yes, the vaccine is safe. Since people with chronic illnesses are at high risk of dying from COVID-19, they are one of the groups that has priority to get the vaccine.

Yes, you can still get the vaccine safely. The health care team may watch you for 30 minutes after the vaccine to be sure.

You should not get the vaccine if you have had a severe allergic reaction like anaphylaxis (swelling of mouth and throat and being unable to breathe) to a COVID-19 vaccine or a chemical called polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polysorbate.
If you had a severe allergic reaction to another vaccine, you should discuss with your healthcare provider whether you should get the COVID-19 vaccine.
You can still get the COVID-19 vaccine if you have had routine side effects such as pain, fever, chills, muscle aches, headaches, or nausea to the COVID-19 vaccine or other vaccines.

Currently, vaccines are being given to Americans with no cost. No one can be denied a vaccine if they are unable to pay the vaccine administration fee.

Right now, there is no requirement to get the vaccine. It is possible in the future that your workplace may require it before you can go back to work. So, the choice is yours.
We encourage you to learn more about the risks from COVID-19 and the effectiveness and side effects of the vaccines. The more you know, the better your choice can be.
The vaccine will keep you and your family safe from COVID-19. It would be a shame if you or someone you love die or get very sick from COVID-19 when there is a way to prevent it.

This is possible in theory. The vaccine helps to keep the virus from entering deep into your body, but it may not keep the virus from staying in your nose or mouth. That is why you should continue to wear masks and practice social distancing.

The Food and Drug Administration did speed up the approval process. The studies that were used to approve the vaccines were as rigorous as that for any drug approval. The findings that the vaccines work and are safe are reliable.

Most people have mild side effects that last 1-2 days. Some people have side effects severe enough that they may have to rest for 1-2 days. You have to balance that with getting COVID-19, which can make people very sick for a very long time.

Actually, most people who get the vaccine won’t get COVID-19. A very small number of those vaccinated may get COVID-19, but the vaccine lowers the risk of getting severe disease.

You will have to balance the high risk of getting COVID-19 while waiting with the low chance of getting rare side effects. The vaccine studies were done with 30 to 40,000 people, and millions have already got the vaccine without any major problem.
Most people who get COVID-19 do not get that sick, so may be it is better to get COVID-19 to get immunity than to take the chance with the vaccine.
Even if you get a mild case of COVID-19, we do not know the long term effects on your health. You will have to balance that with the unknown long-term effects of the vaccine. We also do not know how well people who had COVID-19 can avoid geting infected again. There are people who have been infected more than once.

Currently, there are not enough vaccines being produced, so the government decides on who should get it first. As more people get vaccinated and more vaccines are made, the wait will get shorter.

People at highest risk of getting COVID-19 or being very sick/dying from it are the first in line. Each state is making its own list. Usually, the order is:
Health care workers and people who live in long term care facilities
Essential workers like fire fighters, police officers, food and agricultural workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transit workers, and those who work in the educational sector
People age 75 and older living at home
People age 16-74 with a health condition that increases risk from COVID-19
Other essential workers: transportation and logistics, food service, housing construction and finance, information technology, communications, energy, law, media, public safety, and public health.

You should continue to wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet away from others, avoid crowds and poorly ventilated areas, and wash your hands often.

While the federal government led a project to create vaccines quickly, they did not plan how to give them out early on. Each state also has its own plan. Now the federal government has a plan and states are learning so we hope that it will get easier to get the vaccine.
The vaccines must be kept very cold so sending them to different health care facilities requires planning ahead for delivering, storing, and giving them to people.

No. For the 2-shot vaccine, you may not have immunity until 1-2 weeks after the second shot.

Yes. Only about half of the people who get the first dose are immune to COVID-19. You must continue to wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet away from others, avoid gathering indoors with people you don’t live with, and wash your hands often after the first dose.

Yes. The vaccine is about 90-95% effective, which means that out of 100 people who get the vaccine, about 5-10 do not get immunity. You won’t know that you have immunity. Also, as new variants of COVID-19 vaccine arise, we will not be sure how effective the vaccine will be. So stay safe and continue to wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet away from others, avoid gathering indoors with people you don’t live with, and wash your hands often.