COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions Table of Contents SAFETY & GENERAL VACCINE INFORMATION ............................................................................................... 3 How will I know that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe? ............................................................................... 3 Why is it important to get a COVID-19 vaccine? ..................................................................................... 3 Can the vaccine give me COVID-19? ........................................................................................................ 4 Will the shot hurt or make me sick? What are the side effects?............................................................ 4 Should I get vaccinated if I already had COVID-19? ................................................................................ 4 If I have an underlying medical condition, can I get a COVID-19 vaccine? ............................................ 4 I’ve heard that COVID-19 vaccines aren’t safe. Is this true? ................................................................... 4 Will vaccines that use mRNA alter my DNA or genetic makeup?........................................................... 4 Do COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility or other serious medical problems? ........................................ 5 Some people say that COVID-19 isn’t very serious so I don’t need to get the vaccine. Is this true? .... 5 What ingredients are in COVID-19 vaccines? .......................................................................................... 5 Where can I learn more about the vaccine? ........................................................................................... 5 I’ve seen a lot of rumors on social media about vaccines. How can I tell what is true? ....................... 6 PROCESS FOR VACCINATIONS ....................................................................................................................... 6 How do I register for a COVID-19 vaccine through the Williams County Health Department? ............ 6 I registered for a COVID-19 vaccine through the Williams County Health Department. What is the next step? ................................................................................................................................................. 6 Where else can I get a COVID-19 vaccine in Williams County? .............................................................. 6 What do I need to bring to my vaccine appointment? ........................................................................... 6 How should I prepare for my COVID-19 vaccine appointment? ............................................................. 7 How many doses are needed? ................................................................................................................. 7 Can I get a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as another vaccine? ..................................................... 7 How long does it take for the COVID-19 vaccine to begin to provide protection from the virus? ....... 7 1 | P a g e How do mRNA vaccines (Pfizer & Moderna) work? .............................................................................. 10 Will the vaccine be mandatory in Ohio? ............................................................................................... 10 Are COVID-19 vaccines free? ................................................................................................................. 10 AFTER THE VACCINE .................................................................................................................................... 11 What do I need or what should I expect after I get my COVID-19 vaccine? ........................................ 11 I received my COVID-19 vaccine. Should I be worried that I didn’t have side effects? ....................... 11 Do I need to wear a mask and avoid contact with others if I have received 2 doses of the vaccine? 11 What do I need to do in public after I have one or two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine? ...................... 12 Why do I still need to follow COVID-19 precautions in public after my COVID-19 vaccine? ............... 12 2 | P a g e SAFETY & GENERAL VACCINE INFORMATION How will I know that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe? The safety of COVID-19 vaccines is a top priority. The U.S. vaccine safety system ensures that all vaccines are as safe as possible. Every vaccine, no matter what it is for, goes through multiple phases of clinical trials to study the effectiveness of the vaccine in thousands of study participants before it is approved. Data from lab testing and clinical trials are provided to the FDA to determine vaccine safety and effectiveness. The FDA uses rigorous standards during the evaluation and if it determines that a vaccine meets its safety and effectiveness requirements, it can make these available by approval or emergency use authorization. After FDA makes its determination, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will review available data before making final vaccine recommendations to the CDC. There have been no shortcuts in the vaccine development process. The approval process for COVID-19 vaccines is no different ― safety is always the focus. Why is it important to get a COVID-19 vaccine? • COVID-19 vaccines will help keep you from getting COVID-19. o All COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States have been shown to be highly effective at preventing people from getting COVID-19. o Experts also think that getting a COVID-19 vaccine may help keep you from getting seriously ill even if you do get COVID-19. These vaccines cannot give you the disease. o Getting vaccinated yourself may also protect people around you, particularly people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Experts continue to conduct more studies about the vaccine’s ability to keep people from spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. • The COVID-19 vaccine offers a safer way to build protection against the virus. o COVID-19 can have serious, life-threatening complications, and there is no way to know how COVID-19 will affect you. If you get sick, you could spread the disease to friends, family, and others around you. o All the COVID-19 vaccines that are being used have gone through the same safety tests and meet the same standards as any other vaccines produced through the years. The known and potential benefits of a COVID-19 vaccine far outweigh the known and potential risks of the vaccine. o Getting COVID-19 may offer some natural protection, known as immunity, but experts don’t know how long this protection lasts. The risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 far outweighs any benefits of natural immunity. o COVID-19 vaccines work by teaching your immune system how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19. This protects you from COVID-19 without having to experience sickness. • COVID-19 vaccines are an important tool to help stop the pandemic. o Wearing masks and social distancing help reduce your chance of being exposed to the virus or spreading it to others, but these measures are not enough. Vaccines will work with your immune system so it will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed. ▪ The combination of getting vaccinated and following CDC’s and ODH’s recommendations to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from COVID-19. Stopping a pandemic requires using all the tools we have available. 3 | P a g e Can the vaccine give me COVID-19? No, the vaccine does not cause COVID-19. None of the approved COVID-19 vaccines contain the virus that causes COVID-19. It does take a few weeks after vaccination for your body to build up antibodies to protect you from the virus. That means it is possible you could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after getting the vaccine and still get sick. Will the shot hurt or make me sick? What are the side effects? Side effects are mild. Some people might get sore muscles, feel tired, or have mild fever after getting the vaccine. Other side effects include headache, soreness or redness at the injection site, and joint pain, and should not prevent you from getting a vaccine that can prevent you from catching this deadly virus. These reactions mean the vaccine is working to help teach your body how to fight COVID-19 if you are exposed. For most people, these side effects will last no longer than a few days. If you have any concerns, call your healthcare provider. Should I get vaccinated if I already had COVID-19? Yes, you should still be vaccinated because you can become infected more than once. Although you may have some short-term natural protection (known as immunity) after recovering from COVID-19, we don’t know how long this protection will last. Vaccination is the best protection, and it is safe. People who get COVID-19 can have serious illnesses, and some have terrible symptoms that continue for months. If you have had COVID-19, ask your healthcare provider when you should be vaccinated. If I have an underlying medical condition, can I get a COVID-19 vaccine? People with underlying medical conditions can receive a COVID-19 vaccine as long as they have not had an immediate or severe allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine or to any of the ingredients in the vaccine. Vaccination is an important consideration for adults of any age with certain underlying medical conditions because they are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Learn more about vaccination considerations