Overview of COVID-19 Vaccines
Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine?
The CDC currently recommends COVID-19 vaccination for all individuals over the age of 6 months. There are two different types of COVID-19 vaccines available and based on your age, past experiences or considerations, certain vaccines may be recommended for you. Information from clinical studies show that COVID-19 vaccination provides protection from infection from the virus or can prevent more serious disease, if infected.
If you have had COVID-19, it is still unknown how long and to what extent you are protected after recovering from COVID-19, and it is possible to be infected with COVID-19 again. So even if you had COVID-19 you should still get vaccinated at the appropriate time after your recovery.
How do the COVID-19 vaccines work?
There are two types of COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the United States: mRNA vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna) and protein subunit vaccine (Novavax).
The mRNA vaccines contain instructions for human cells to produce a small fragment of the spike protein. This spike protein is usually found on the outside of the COVID-19 virus. Once the mRNA vaccine is in the body, the immune system uses the instructions to produce this spike protein and breaks down the mRNA. The immune system then recognizes the spike protein and develops a response to get rid of the protein. This response guides the body to fight off future infections from the COVID-19 virus.
The protein subunit vaccine contains a version of the spike protein and another inactive ingredient that stimulates the immune system. The immune system recognizes the spike protein and develops a response to get rid of the protein. The body will then remember this response to fight future COVID-19 infections.
Are the COVID-19 vaccines safe?
COVID-19 vaccines are evaluated for safety during clinical trials that studied the vaccines in tens of thousands of people. Millions of people have safely received these COVID-19 vaccines. The most common side effects are swelling and pain at the injection site, fever, headache, tiredness, muscle pain, chills, and nausea. A severe allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine is very rare.
How long does it take for protection from the vaccine to kick in?
Protection from the vaccine is considered fully developed two weeks after your COVID-19 shot (two weeks after the second dose of a 2-dose vaccine and two weeks after receiving a single-dose vaccine).
What are variants? Viruses, including COVID-19, may change slightly over time as they reproduce inside the human body and throughout the population. These changes lead to variants of the virus, which may have slightly different characteristics from the original virus. As new variants are identified, experts study them to understand any new characteristics they may have, such as how it spreads and what happens to people who are infected with the variant virus.
How do vaccines protect against variants?
Studies suggest the protection offered through vaccination works against some variants, especially in preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death. Over time studies show that variants may reduce the ability of COVID-19 vaccine protection, so a new formulation of the vaccine may be created. It is important to receive the most recent recommended version of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Summary
COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, as shown by clinical trials and millions of doses given throughout the United States. To best protect against new variants, be sure to ask your pharmacist to make sure you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccinations.
Recommendations from the CDC may change as experts continue to learn more about COVID-19 from clinical studies and from monitoring disease activity, including virus variants.