Show All Answers

1. How do we know the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective?

Learn more from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, here.

2. What are the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines?

View information about side effects from the CDC, here. 

3. How many people participated in the clinical trials for the vaccine?

Several different vaccines have been developed for COVID-19. A few of them have made it through clinical trials and have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Some are still in clinical trials. Of the vaccines approved for use in the U.S., between 30,000 to 45,000 participants enrolled to participate in each study. View information about individual clinical trials, here.

4. I’ve had an allergic reaction to the flu shot, is it safe to get a COVID-19 vaccine?

Information about COVID-19 vaccines for people with allergies can be found, here.

5. What are mRNA vaccines and how do they work?

The first 2 COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the U.S. were messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines. Learn more about mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, here.

6. Can I get other vaccines at the same time I get a COVID-19 vaccine?

Yes. COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines may now be administered without regard to timing . Learn more.

7. When can children get the COVID-19 vaccine?

CDC recommends everyone 5 years and older should get a COVID-19 vaccination to help protect against COVID-19. Learn more.

8. I am pregnant or nursing, can I get the vaccine?

Yes. Learn more.

9. Does the vaccine cause reproductive issues?

No. Learn more.

10. Will the vaccine give me COVID-19 or make me sick?

No, none of the approved COVID-19 vaccines contain the live virus and cannot give you COVID-19. 

COVID-19 vaccines teach our immune systems how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19. Sometimes this process can cause symptoms, such as fever. However, building immunity from a vaccine is a much safer option and these symptoms are normal signs that the body is building protection against the virus that causes COVID-19. Learn more about how COVID-19 vaccines work.

11. Can I still test positive for COVID-19 after getting the vaccine?

No. However, it typically takes a few weeks to build immunity after receiving a vaccine. That means it is possible a person could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after vaccination and still get sick. In this case, the person would test positive for COVID-19 shortly after getting the vaccine.

12. Does immunity after getting COVID-19 last longer than protection from COVID-19 vaccines?

The protection someone gets from having an infection, called natural immunity, varies depending on the disease and from person to person. Since this virus is new, it is unknown how long natural immunity will last. As experts continue to study both the virus and the vaccines, we will continue to learn more. However, building immunity from a vaccine is a much safer option than to risk the complications from becoming ill from COVID-19.