COVID-19 Vaccines

COVID-19 vaccines were thoroughly tested for safety

The COVID-19 vaccine was created quickly but was carefully tested for safety. The COVID-19 vaccines were created with a method that has been in development for years, so the companies could start the vaccine development and testing process early in the pandemic. The vaccine developers didn’t skip any testing steps but conducted some of the steps on an overlapping schedule to gather data faster. The vaccines themselves were extensively tested by independent scientists. Over 400 million doses have been safely administered to date in the U.S., and over 180 million people are fully vaccinated.

Doctors agree COVID-19 vaccines are safe

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 96 percent of doctors have been vaccinated. More than 50 nationally recognized health care organizations signed on to a joint statement in support of COVID-19 vaccines, including the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Nursing, American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Physicians, the American College of Surgeons, the American Medical Association, the American Nursing Association, the Association of American Medical Colleges and the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners.

COVID-19 vaccines do not change your DNA

Vaccines help your body’s immune system fight the virus. It causes your body to make protein to stimulate the immune system, and then it quickly breaks down without affecting your DNA. Click here for additional information on how COVID-19 vaccines work: Understanding How COVID-19 Vaccines Work | CDC

COVID vaccines do not cause you to get COVID

The vaccines do not contain live coronavirus, and you cannot and will not get COVID-19 from getting vaccinated. After the shots, you might experience a sore arm, a mild fever or body aches, but this doesn’t mean you have COVID-19. These symptoms, if they happen at all, are temporary, usually lasting only a day or two. They signal a natural response as your body’s immune system learns to recognize and fight the coronavirus. On the other hand, getting COVID-19 can make you seriously ill, with symptoms that linger for months or even longer.

COVID vaccines are effective

Our local Wood County numbers show people who have not completed a vaccine series are three times more likely to get COVID than people who have completed a vaccine series, and the risk of severe illness from COVID is much lower people who have completed a vaccine series.

People who have recovered from COVID should still get vaccinated

A study published in August 2021 indicates that if you had COVID-19 before and are not vaccinated, your risk of getting re-infected is more than two times higher than for those who were infected and got vaccinated.

Vaccines are safe for pregnant women

Pregnant women should get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect themselves and the health of their babies. If infected with COVID-19, pregnant women are more likely to have a severe case of COVID-19 and their babies are at increased risk for preterm birth.

Getting vaccinated helps protect others who can't get vaccinated

Older people and those living with chronic medical conditions such as heart disease and diabetes are more likely to experience severe — even fatal — cases of COVID-19 if they catch it. The more people who receive the coronavirus vaccines, the sooner more vulnerable people can feel safe among others. Also, since every COVID-19 infection gives the coronavirus a chance to mutate, being vaccinated helps prevent new variants from emerging.

Fully vaccinated people should wear masks in areas of high transmission

The CDC continues to recommend wearing face masks since different variants of COVID can be spread to people who are fully vaccinated. Vaccines continue to be highly effective at preventing serious illness.

Healthy people can become seriously ill from COVID

You can still be at risk of serious illness from COVID. You can also spread it to others who may be more vulnerable. The best option for yourself and others is to get vaccinated.

Pfizer-BioNTech

Available to people 12 years and older.

• 2 shots, given 3 weeks (21 days) apart.

• You are fully vaccinated 2 weeks after your second shot

The Food and Drug Administration announced full approval of the Pfizer vaccine for individuals 16 years of age and older. This means that the Pfizer vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of all approved products, having undergone its standard process for reviewing the quality, safety and effectiveness of medical products.

Johnson & Johnson (Janssen)

Available to people 18 years and older.

• 1 shot.

• You are fully vaccinated 2 weeks after your shot.

Moderna

Available to people 18 years and older.

• 2 shots, given 4 weeks (28 days) apart.

• You are fully vaccinated 2 weeks after your second shot.

Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines are currently available through Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration. EUA Fact Sheets for Recipients should be provided to patients at the time of vaccination. This must be given to the patient prior to the vaccination, and must be given prior to each dose of multi-dose series. It must be given regardless of the age of the recipient.