Don't Wait To Get Your Vaccine

Here’s what you need to know:

• All three COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective

• Millions of people in the United States have received COVID-19 vaccines under the CDC’s most intense safety monitoring in U.S. history

• Side effects from the vaccine are common and short-term, most people report only mild symptoms after their vaccination

• Severe side effects are very rare and long-term effects are unlikely

• Current vaccines offer protection against most of the variants

• Vaccines can reduce the severity of COVID-19 cases

• The best way to protect yourself and your community is by getting vaccinated

Vaccinations Numbers Are Growing and Monitoring Is in Place

According to the CDC, over 272 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been given in the United States from December 14, 2020, through May 17, 2021.

Tens of thousands of participants have been evaluated in clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccines and results and data have proven that the vaccines are safe and effective. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has and will continue to review and certify that all three vaccines meet scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality. 

Serious Health Concerns Are Rare

According to the CDC, the systems that are in place to monitor the safety of the vaccines have only found two serious types of side effects after vaccinations. Both are rare. They are anaphylaxis and thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) after vaccination with J&J/Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine.

Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that has occurred in only a small number of people and medical providers have medicines on hand to quickly and effectively treat this reaction. This is why we ask that you stay 15 minutes after your vaccination—it’s to confirm that your body will not have this type of reaction.

Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, or TTS, is a rare blood clot that has happened after receiving the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine. Women younger than 50 years old should especially be aware of their increased risk for this rare reaction and should consider the other COVID-19 vaccines available. These blood clots are rare, occurring at a rate of about 7 per 1 million vaccinated women between 18 and 49 years old. For women 50 years and older and men of all ages, this reaction is even rarer.

Long-Term Side Effects Are Unlikely

Serious side effects that could cause long-term health problems are extremely unlikely. Years of vaccine research have shown that side effects generally happen within the first six weeks of receiving a vaccine dose. For this reason, the FDA required that each of the COVID-19 vaccines be studied for at least eight weeks after the final dose. Millions of people have received COVID-19 vaccines, and no long-term side effects have been detected.

CDC, FDA, and other federal agencies will continue to monitor the safety of COVID-19 vaccines as time goes on and as more and more people get vaccinated.

Vaccine Protection Against New Variants Is Being Monitored

New variants of the COVID-19 virus continue to develop worldwide. Current data suggests that the current vaccines offer protection against most of the variants that are spreading in the US. Vaccine protection against these variants will continue to be studied and monitored by the CDC.

Research on mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Shows Effectiveness in Real-World Conditions

Vaccine effectiveness studies continue to provide more evidence that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines offer similar protection in real-world conditions as they have in clinical trials. They are proving that these vaccines reduce the risk of COVID-19, including severe illness, among people who are fully vaccinated by 90 percent or more. Studies have also shown that for mRNA vaccines, two doses will provide better protection than one dose. To receive the most benefit from a vaccination, you should get the recommended number of doses of that vaccine. This will reduce the spread of disease overall, helping to protect you and your community.

Vaccines Help Protect Against Severe Illness in Breakthrough COVID-19 Cases

Because no vaccine is 100% effective, some people who are fully vaccinated will still get sick. These are called vaccine breakthrough cases. The good news is that some data suggests that vaccinations may make symptoms less severe in those who still get COVID-19 but are vaccinated. The CDC states that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to protect against severe illness and hospitalization.

It takes about 2 weeks for your body to build protection after the final dose of your vaccination. It's possible you could still get COVID-19 soon after your vaccination because your body has not had enough time to build full protection. That’s why it’s important to take precautions until you are fully vaccinated.

Help Yourself and Your Community by Getting Vaccinated

To schedule an appointment or learn more, visit our COVID-19 vaccine page.