COVID-19 Vaccine Information for Patients
ٺƵ offers patients 6 months and older the COVID-19 vaccine, including updated boosters. Here are answers to some of your questions about the safety of the vaccine, how it works, and who should get vaccinated and why.
Who is eligible for an updated COVID-19 vaccine?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone age 6 years and older receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine regardless of whether they received the vaccine previously. The updated monovalent vaccines from Pfizer–BioNTech and Moderna protect against currently circulating strains of the COVID-19 virus. Children ages 6 months to 5 years of age may need one or two doses to be up to date on their recommended vaccines, depending on the number of doses and the original vaccine they received. The CDC provides information about .
Why do healthy people need to be vaccinated?
Even healthy people are at risk of severe COVID-19 infection and can develop serious complications. Although healthy people are less likely to be hospitalized than those with certain underlying medical conditions, they can become severely ill and are as likely to experience long-term health effects after the initial infection. This is known in the medical community as post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), or as “long-haul COVID.”
When healthy people are vaccinated, they help reduce the spread of COVID-19 by limiting the virus’s opportunity to spread from person to person. Vaccination is also a way that healthy people can protect people who are at high risk for complications from contracting COVID-19. By getting vaccinated, you are protecting yourself, your family, and your community by helping control the spread of the disease.
Should children get vaccinated against COVID-19?
The Pfizer–BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are approved for use in children and infants as young as 6 months. Compared to other age groups, the rates of severe illness and hospitalization from COVID-19 are lower in people under age 18, but COVID-19 infection at any age can result in hospitalization, inflammatory conditions, and long-term side effects. Clinical trials showed the COVID-19 vaccine to be as effective in children as in adults in reducing infections, and more importantly, preventing the risk of hospitalization.
Can pregnant or breastfeeding people get the COVID-19 vaccine?
Along with the CDC, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal–Fetal Medicine recommend that all pregnant and breastfeeding people receive the COVID-19 vaccine and booster. Tens of thousands of people have received the vaccine while pregnant. The data show there are no safety risks and that vaccination reduces the risk of severe maternal COVID-19 and preterm delivery.
The vaccine also appears to be just as effective for pregnant people as it is for the general population. This is especially important because pregnant individuals are at high risk of severe complications should they become infected with COVID-19. Vaccination before or during pregnancy can also protect your baby after birth, as the mother’s antibodies pass on to the infant while in utero.
We recommend that people who are pregnant or breastfeeding talk with their obstetricians about any concerns they have regarding vaccination.
Will the COVID-19 vaccine affect fertility?
There is no evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine affects fertility in women or men. There is no data to support the belief that the vaccine or the resulting immune reaction has any effect on conception, fetal development, or miscarriage risk. If the spike protein antibody created by the vaccine caused infertility, an infection with COVID-19 should also, and there is no evidence that it does.
Talk with your doctor about any concerns you have about the vaccine and future family planning.
How can I be sure the vaccine is safe?
More than 80 percent of all Americans have already received the COVID-19 vaccine, with more than 56 million people receiving at least one bivalent booster dose.
ٺƵ has been involved in testing COVID-19 vaccines through clinical trials at our , which is 1 of 10 Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units in the United States funded by the National Institutes of Health. (The Vaccine Center is a research center and is not involved in giving vaccines to the general public.)
The FDA reviewed data from those extensive clinical trials, which showed that the vaccine is safe and that its benefits outweigh its known or potential risks. Three vaccines—Pfizer–BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen—have received Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA, which is a special approval during a public health emergency that is based on strong evidence of safety.
The Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine has been granted full FDA approval for use in people age 12 and older. The FDA granted full approval for the Moderna vaccine in people age 18 and older. Full approval is based on updated data from the initial clinical trials, including research into long-term side effects. The Pfizer–BioNTech and Moderna vaccines for use in children continue to be distributed under Emergency Use Authorization.
Vaccines work by priming the body’s immune system to fight the virus. Vaccine reactions, such as a sore arm, headache, fatigue, or nausea, are normal and are signs that the body is responding to the vaccine.
We encourage you to talk with your doctor about any questions or concerns you have about the vaccine, so you can make an informed decision.
If vaccinated people can still get COVID-19, does that mean that the vaccines are ineffective?
COVID-19 infections do occur in fully vaccinated people. However, fully vaccinated people with infections tend to experience much milder symptoms or no symptoms at all, and the vaccines continue to provide strong protection against severe disease that can lead to hospitalization and death. Hospitalization and death rates for fully vaccinated people remain exceedingly low.
Can I get COVID-19 from the vaccine?
No, you cannot get COVID-19 from any of the COVID-19 vaccines because they do not contain elements capable of making you sick. There are two currently available: messenger RNA (mRNA) and viral vector vaccines.
The Pfizer–BioNTech and Moderna vaccines use mRNA to send a message to the cells on how to make a certain harmless spike protein that is unique to the virus that causes COVID-19. With those vaccines, your cells use the mRNA information to create a unique spike protein that is found on the surface of the coronavirus. The protein cannot make you sick on its own. But it plays an important role: it introduces your immune system to a protein that it has never seen before, and gives it the opportunity to create antibodies against it. This way, if your body is ever confronted by the actual coronavirus, your immune system already knows which antibodies it needs to kill the virus and protect you from illness.
Are there any reasons a person should not get vaccinated?
There are no diagnoses or conditions that prohibit a person from being vaccinated, but certain people should consult with their doctor before getting the vaccine. This includes the following groups:
- people with a history of a severe allergic reaction to a vaccine
- people who have a condition that affects their immune system
- people who are getting radiation therapy or chemotherapy
If you are in any of these groups, talk with your doctor before making a vaccination appointment.