Vaccines to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are perhaps the best hope for ending the pandemic. But as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues authorizing emergency use of COVID-19 vaccines, you likely have questions. Find out about the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccines, how they work, the possible side effects and the importance of continuing to take infection prevention steps.

What are the benefits of getting a COVID-19 vaccine?

A COVID-19 vaccine might:

• Prevent you from getting COVID-19 or from becoming seriously ill or dying due to COVID-19
• Prevent you from spreading the COVID-19 virus to others
• Add to the number of people in the community who are protected from getting COVID-19 — making it harder for the disease to spread and contributing to herd immunity
• Prevent the COVID-19 virus from spreading and replicating, which allows it to mutate and possibly become more resistant to vaccines

What COVID-19 vaccines have been authorized and how do they work?

Currently, several COVID-19 vaccines are in clinical trials. The FDA will review the results of these trials before approving COVID-19 vaccines for use. But because there is an urgent need for COVID-19 vaccines and the FDA's vaccine approval process can take months to years, the FDA will first be giving emergency use authorization to COVID-19 vaccines based on less data than is normally required. The data must show that the vaccines are safe and effective before the FDA can give emergency use authorization. Vaccines with FDA emergency use authorization include:

• Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is 95% effective in preventing the COVID-19 virus with symptoms. This vaccine is for people age 16 and older. It requires two injections given 21 days apart. The second dose can be given up to six weeks after the first dose, if needed.
• Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is 94% effective in preventing the COVID-19 virus with symptoms. This vaccine is for people age 18 and older. It requires two injections given 28 days apart. The second dose can be given up to six weeks after the first dose, if needed.
• Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. In clinical trials, this vaccine was 66% effective in preventing the COVID-19 virus with symptoms — as of 14 days after vaccination. The vaccine also was 85% effective at preventing severe disease with the COVID-19 virus — at least 28 days after vaccination. This vaccine is for people age 18 and older. It requires one injection. The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recommended that use of this vaccine continue in the U.S. because the benefits outweigh the risks. If you are given this vaccine, you should be educated about the possible risks and symptoms of a blood clotting problem.

Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines use messenger RNA (mRNA). Coronaviruses have a spike-like structure on their surface called an S protein. COVID-19 mRNA vaccines give cells instructions for how to make a harmless piece of an S protein. After vaccination, your cells begin making the protein pieces and displaying them on cell surfaces. Your immune system will recognize that the protein doesn't belong there and begin building an immune response and making antibodies.

The Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is a vector vaccine. In this type of vaccine, genetic material from the COVID-19 virus is inserted into a different kind of weakened live virus, such as an adenovirus. When the weakened virus (viral vector) gets into your cells, it delivers genetic material from the COVID-19 virus that gives your cells instructions to make copies of the S protein. Once your cells display the S proteins on their surfaces, your immune system responds by creating antibodies and defensive white blood cells. If you become infected with the COVID-19 virus, the antibodies will fight the virus.

Viral vector vaccines can't cause you to become infected with the COVID-19 virus or the viral vector virus. Also, the genetic material that's delivered doesn't become part of your DNA.

What is the concern about the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine?

Use of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine might increase the risk of a rare and serious blood clotting disorder. Nearly all of those affected have been women ages 18 to 49, with the disorder happening at a rate of 7 for every 1 million vaccinated women in this age group. For women age 50 and older and men of all ages, the disorder is even more rare.

The FDA and the CDC have recommended that use of the vaccine in the U.S. can continue because the benefits outweigh the risks. If you are given this vaccine, you should be educated about the possible risks and symptoms of a blood clotting problem.

What are the symptoms of a blood clotting reaction to the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine?

Serious side effects of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine can occur within three weeks of vaccination and require emergency care. Possible symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath
• Persistent stomach pain
• Severe or persistent headaches or blurred vision
• Chest pain
• Leg swelling
• Easy bruising or tiny red spots on the skin beyond the injection site

Mild to moderate headaches and muscle aches are common in the first three days after vaccination and don't require emergency care.

Do the COVID-19 vaccines protect against the COVID-19 variants?

The COVID-19 vaccines were developed based on the S protein before it contained the mutations identified in the variants. While research suggests that COVID-19 vaccines have lower efficacy against the variants, the vaccines still appear to provide protection against severe COVID-19. Further research is needed.

In addition, vaccine manufacturers are also creating booster shots to improve protection against variants.

Can a COVID-19 vaccine give you COVID-19?

No. The COVID-19 vaccines currently being developed in the U.S. don't use the live virus that causes COVID-19.

Keep in mind that it will take a few weeks for your body to build immunity after getting a COVID-19 vaccination. As a result, it's possible that you could become infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or after being vaccinated.

What are the possible side effects of a COVID-19 vaccine?

A COVID-19 vaccine can cause mild side effects after the first or second dose, including:

• Pain, redness or swelling where the shot was given
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Muscle pain
• Chills
• Joint pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Feeling unwell
• Swollen lymph nodes

You'll likely be monitored for 15 minutes after getting a COVID-19 vaccine to see if you have an immediate reaction. Most side effects happen within the first three days after vaccination and typically last only one to two days.

Serious side effects of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine can occur within three weeks of vaccination and require emergency care. Possible symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath
• Persistent stomach pain
• Severe or persistent headaches or blurred vision
• Chest pain
• Leg swelling
• Easy bruising or tiny red spots on the skin beyond the injection site

A COVID-19 vaccine may cause side effects similar to signs and symptoms of COVID-19. If you've been exposed to COVID-19 and you develop symptoms more than three days after getting vaccinated or the symptoms last more than two days, self-isolate and get tested.

What are the signs of an allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine?

You might be having an allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine if you experience these signs within four hours of your first vaccine dose:

• Continuous shortness of breath or wheezing
• Swelling of the lips, eyes or tongue
• Redness, swelling or itchiness in areas of the body other than the limb in which the vaccine was given

If you have any signs of an allergic reaction, get help right away. Tell your doctor about your reaction, even if it went away on its own or you didn’t get emergency care. This reaction might mean you are allergic to the vaccine. You might not be able to get a second dose of the same vaccine. However, you might be able to get a different vaccine for your second dose.

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Is it OK to take an over-the-counter pain medication before or after getting a COVID-19 vaccine?

It isn’t recommended that you take a pain medication before getting a COVID-19 vaccine to prevent possible discomfort. It’s not clear how these medications might impact the effectiveness of the vaccines. However, it’s OK to take this kind of medication after getting a COVID-19 vaccine, as long as you have no other medical reason that would prevent you from taking it.

What are the long-term side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines?

Because COVID-19 vaccines clinical trials only started in the summer of 2020, it’s not yet clear if these vaccines will have long-term side effects. However, vaccines rarely cause long-term side effects.

If you're concerned, in the U.S., safety data on COVID-19 vaccines will be reported to a national program called the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. This data is available to the public. The CDC has also created v-safe, a smartphone-based tool that allows users to report COVID-19 vaccine side effects.

How are the COVID-19 vaccines being distributed?

Consult your local health department for the latest information on how and when you can receive a vaccine.

Can I get a COVID-19 vaccine if I have a history of allergic reactions?

If you have a history of severe allergic reactions not related to vaccines or injectable medications, you may still get a COVID-19 vaccine. You should be monitored for 30 minutes after getting the vaccine.

If you've had an immediate allergic reaction to other vaccines or injectable medications, ask your doctor if you should get a COVID-19 vaccine. If you’ve ever had an immediate or severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in a COVID-19 vaccine, the CDC recommends not getting that specific vaccine.

If you have an immediate or severe allergic reaction after getting the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, don't get the second dose. However, you might be able to get a different vaccine for your second dose.

Can I get a COVID-19 vaccine if I have an existing health condition?

Yes, if you have an existing health condition you can get a COVID-19 vaccine — as long as you haven't had an allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine or any of its ingredients. But there is limited information about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines in people who have weakened immune systems or autoimmune conditions.

Can pregnant or breastfeeding women get the COVID-19 vaccine?

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you may choose to get a COVID-19 vaccine. While further research is needed, early findings suggests that getting an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy poses no serious risks. The findings are based on data from the CDC’s coronavirus vaccine safety monitoring system.

If you have concerns, talk to your health care provider about the risks and benefits.

Keep in mind that the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines don’t alter your DNA or cause genetic changes.

Is there anyone who should not get a COVID-19 vaccine?

There is no COVID-19 vaccine yet for children under age 16. Clinical trials involving younger children are in progress.

Should I get the COVID-19 vaccine even if I've already had COVID-19?

Getting COVID-19 might offer some natural protection or immunity from reinfection with the virus that causes COVID-19. But it's not clear how long this protection lasts. Because reinfection is possible and COVID-19 can cause severe medical complications, it's recommended that people who have already had COVID-19 get a COVID-19 vaccine. If you were treated for COVID-19 with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

Can I stop taking safety precautions after getting a COVID-19 vaccine?

You are considered fully vaccinated 2 weeks after you get a second dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine or 2 weeks after you get a single dose of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. After you are fully vaccinated, the CDC recommends that it’s OK to:

• Visit other fully vaccinated people indoors — without wearing masks or avoiding close contact
• Visit unvaccinated people from one household who are at low risk for severe illness from COVID-19 — indoors and without wearing masks or avoiding close contact
• Gather or do activities outdoors, such as running or eating at restaurants, without wearing a mask, except in certain crowded settings
• Travel within the U.S. without getting tested before or after or quarantining after you return

In addition, if you are planning to travel outside the U.S., the CDC states that you don’t need to get tested before your trip unless it’s required by your destination. You also don’t need to quarantine when you return to the U.S. You also don’t need to quarantine after a known exposure if you don’t have symptoms. And you don’t need to get a COVID-19 test following a known exposure if you don’t have symptoms, with some exceptions for specific settings.

However, vaccinated people should continue to take safety precautions, such as wearing a mask and avoiding close contact (within about 6 feet, or 2 meters) with others, when they are:

• In indoor public spaces
• Outdoors where there is a high risk of COVID-19 transmission, such as at a crowded gathering
• Visiting indoors with unvaccinated people, including children, from more than one other household
• Visiting indoors with an unvaccinated person who is at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 or who lives with a person at increased risk

Can I still get COVID-19 after I’m vaccinated?

COVID-19 vaccination will protect most people from getting sick with COVID-19.

A very small percentage of fully vaccinated people will still get COVID-19 if they are exposed to the COVID-19 virus. These are called vaccine breakthrough cases. Some people might not experience any symptoms and some people could become sick due to COVID-19.

However, vaccination might make illness less severe. If you are fully vaccinated, the overall risk of hospitalization and death due to COVID-19 is much lower than among unvaccinated people with similar risk factors.

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May 06, 2021 See more In-depth