Vaccination Guide

Welcome to our COVID-19 vaccination guide. It provides key information on vaccines and more.

COVID-19 is a vaccine-preventable disease. And everyone 5 or older in the United States can now get a free vaccine regardless of their immigration or health insurance status.

This guide focuses on vaccinations in current use in the United States. Additional information is also found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

You are considered fully vaccinated and protected 2 weeks after receiving the second dose. Here are four easy methods to get vaccinated near you:

Four Easy Methods to get the Shot

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This is a short guide on what to do before, during and after receiving the vaccine:

Before Vaccination

Mentally prepare. Expect to be tired after the shot.  And prepare to drink extra fluids, too.

Medication. If you are currently taking prescription medications, please consult your doctor before the vaccination. 

During Vaccination

Wear a mask. And follow key safety steps.

Vaccination card. Make sure to get a vaccination card. It will include your name and birthday. Also, the provider will list the vaccine maker and lot number, too. DO NOT get your card laminated until after receiving the second shot.

After Vaccination

Drink extra fluids. And avoid beverages that dehydrate such as soda, coffee and alcohol.

Continue to follow key safety steps. This includes wearing a mask when around others.

Schedule 2nd Dose. Unless you receive the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, you will need to receive a second shot. You should schedule it 3-4 weeks later. 

Expect side effects. Many experience slight side effects from the vaccine. This is normal. And a good sign. The most common is exhaustion. But this usually lasts a day.

If they are more than mild such as shortness of breath, seek immediate medical attention.

2nd Dose

Vaccination card. Make sure to BRING your vaccination card with you. Also, make sure the clinic updates it to include information about the second shot.

You can get the card laminated after the second dose.

If you get sick. If you become sick between doses, reschedule the second dose.

Expect side effects. Many report experiencing more side effects after the second dose. And this is normal.  But expect it. 

Drink extra fluids. And avoid dehydrating beverages such as soda, coffee and alcohol.

Continue to follow key safety steps for two weeks. This includes wearing a mask when around others. And that is because it takes time for the vaccine to work.

The FDA amended the emergency use authorization to permit booster shots. They are available for those 16 and older. If you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you are eligible to receive the booster 2 months later. If you received the other vaccines, you are eligible to receive the booster 6 months after you completed the last dose. More, “mix and match” is also available.

What to Expect

A study just published by the CDC finds that those that receive the booster shot experience similar side effects as those produced by the second shot. Please see our checklist above under second dose.

Preparation and Post Care

Follow the same steps as with the first shot.

Yes. Vaccinations are paid for by the government.

Vaccines contain the same germs that cause disease. For example, the measles vaccine contains measles virus, and the vaccine contains Hib bacteria. But they have been either killed or weakened to the point that they do not make you sick. Some vaccines contain only a part of the disease germ, too.

A vaccine stimulates your immune system to produce antibodies. After getting the vaccination, you develop immunity to that disease. But without having to get the disease first.

This is what makes vaccines such powerful medicine. Unlike most medicines, which treat or cure diseases, vaccines prevent them.

More, immunity is the body’s way of preventing disease. Vaccines reduce your risk of infection by working with your natural defenses to help safely develop immunity to disease.

Yes. Before a vaccine is ever given to people, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees extensive lab testing of the vaccine. And this ensures that that it is both safe and effective. After the lab, testing in people begins. This is known as a “clinical trial.” A vaccine is licensed only after this process if it is found to be both safe and effective.

After this, federal agencies routinely monitor its use and investigate any potential safety concerns. This is especially the case for COVID-19 vaccine.

Like any medicine, vaccines can cause side effects such as a low-grade fever, or pain and redness at injection site. Mild reactions go away within a few days on their own. Severe, long lasting side effects are extremely rare.

The U.S. vaccine safety system ensures that all vaccines are as safe as possible. Learn how federal partners are working together to ensure the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.

The CDC has also a tracking tool, v-safe, as an additional layer of safety monitoring. It is a new smartphone, after-vaccination health checker for people who receive vaccines. You can download the app to a cellphone or other device. It increases the CDC’s ability to rapidly detect any safety issues with COVID-19 vaccines.

No. The vaccine actually contains no virus. This article explains how the vaccines are made.

Yes, some experience mild side effects which is normal. They typically go away within a few days.

Also, some report more side effects after receiving the second shot. On March 11, Nextstar Media published a story explaining why this happens. They explained that: With the first dose, your body begins building its initial immune response, including producing antibodies. But with the second shot — a.k.a. the second exposure to the virus — “the big guns” of your immune system react.

They interviewed Dr. William B. Greenough III, a professor emeritus at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He indicated, “Once your immune system recognizes the virus [after the second dose], it’s going to have a greater reaction to it. This is a sign the vaccine is working and that your immune system “recognizes the vaccine in your body,” he said.

There is a 3-4 week gap between doses. It is possible to get the virus even after the first dose. If you become sick with the virus between the doses, you can receive the second dose when you considered no longer contagious.

Yes. COVID-19 is also known as “the coronavirus”. And earlier strains were found to infect humans.

Severe Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) are two diseases caused by coronaviruses. They are both closely related to the virus that causes COVID-19. Researchers began working on developing vaccines for these diseases after they were discovered in 2003 and 2012, respectively.

None of the SARS vaccines ever made it past the first stages of development and testing. And this is in large part due to lack of interest because those strains disappeared. One MERS vaccine successfully went through a phase 1 clinical trial in 2019. More, lessons taken from this earlier vaccine research are contributing to the development of COVID-19 vaccines today.

Stopping a pandemic requires using all the tools available. Vaccines work with your immune system so your body will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed. Other safety steps, help reduce your chance of acquiring it or spreading it to others, too. Together, COVID-19 vaccination and following key steps will offer the best protection from the virus. We provide many tools and guides on this.

Yes. When in contact with others, you need to wear a mask during the pandemic. Masks protect you, and they protect others, too. It needs to cover both your nose and mouth.

But anyone who has trouble breathing or is unable to remove a mask without assistance should not wear a mask.

For most, two. Two of the vaccines currently available to prevent COVID-19 in the United States both need two shots to be effective. But another vaccine has recently been approved that requires only one. It is made by Johnson and Johnson.

Vaccine doses purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars will be given to the American people at no cost. However, vaccination providers will be able to charge an administration fee for giving the shot. Vaccine providers can get this fee reimbursed by the patient’s insurance company.

Uninsured patients are covered by government programs. See our guide for the uninsured. Being uninsured is not a barrier to receiving the vaccination. Nor getting tested if required. This is key in the fight to halt the pandemic.

Yes. COVID-19 vaccination should be available to you regardless of whether you already had the infection. And you should not be required to have an antibody test before you are vaccinated.

However, anyone currently infected with COVID-19 should wait to get vaccinated until after their illness has resolved. And also after they have met the criteria to discontinue isolation.

Additionally, current evidence suggests that reinfection is uncommon in the 90 days after initial infection. Therefore, people with a recent infection may delay vaccination if desired.

The protection someone gains from having an infection (called “natural immunity”) varies depending on the disease. More, it varies from person to person. Since this virus is new, experts do not know how long natural immunity might last. 

Regarding the vaccination, it is not known how long it will last, either. And we will not know until there is more data.

Both natural immunity and vaccine-induced immunity are important aspects of COVID-19. Experts are trying to learn more about this.

Yes, two weeks AFTER you receive the final dose. But in some situations, you may still need to continue to follow key preventative steps.

No. There are currently no available vaccines that will prevent COVID-19.

However, a flu vaccine will not protect you from getting COVID-19; but it can prevent you from getting the flu at the same time as COVID-19. This can keep you from having a more severe illness. And while it is not possible to say with certainty, the CDC believes it’s likely that flu and COVID-19 viruses will both be spreading during this winter. Thus, getting a flu vaccine is more important than ever.

Experts do not know. “Herd immunity” is a term used to describe when enough people have protection—either from previous infection or vaccination—that it is unlikely a virus or bacteria can spread and cause disease. As a result, everyone within the community is protected even if some people do not have any protection themselves. The percentage of people who need to have protection in order to achieve herd immunity varies by disease.

After receiving the vaccination, you may have some side effects. And this is a normal sign that your body is building protection.

The side effects may feel like flu and might even affect your ability to do daily activities. But they should go away in a few days. Learn more about what side effects to expect and get helpful tips on how to reduce pain and discomfort.

The CDC and FDA encourage the public to report possible side effects (called adverse events) to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). This national system collects these data to look for adverse events that are unexpected, appear to happen more often than expected, or have unusual patterns of occurrence.

Key: Learn about the difference between a vaccine side effect and an adverse event.

Also, healthcare providers are required to report certain adverse events following vaccination. More, they also have to adhere to any revised safety reporting requirements according to the FDA’s conditions.

The CDC has implemented a new smartphone-based tool called v-safe. It check-ins on people’s health after they receive the vaccine. When you receive your vaccine, you should also receive a v-safe information sheet. It will tell you how to enroll in v-safe. If you enroll, you will receive regular text messages directing you to surveys where you can report any problems or adverse reactions you have.

This app is critical for researchers to understand how vaccinations impacts people. If you receive the vaccination, please participate in this important program. Your contribution will help others, and us too.

All ingredients of vaccines play necessary roles either in making the vaccine, triggering the body to develop immunity, or in ensuring that the final product is safe and effective. Some of these include:

• Adjuvants help boost the body’s response to vaccine. (Also found in antacids, buffered aspirin, antiperspirants, etc.)
• Stabilizers help keep vaccine effective after production (Also found in foods such as Jell-O® and reside in the body naturally.)
• Formaldehyde is used prevent contamination by bacteria during the vaccine manufacturing process. Resides in body naturally (more in body than vaccines). (Also, found in environment, preservatives, and household products.)
• Thimerosal is also used during the manufacturing process but is no longer an ingredient in any vaccine except multi-dose vials of the flu vaccine.