Vaccine Info

As COVID-19 vaccines are authorized and then recommended for use in the United States, it will be important to understand what is known about each vaccine. CDC will provide information on who is and is not recommended to receive each vaccine and what to expect after vaccination, as well as ingredients, safety, and effectiveness. Currently, two vaccines are authorized and recommended to prevent COVID-19:

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine

Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine

There are three additional vaccines in Phase 3 Clinical Trials

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine

Janssen’s COVID-19 vaccine

Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine

(CDC 2021)

Because the U.S. supply of COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be limited at first, CDC is providing recommendations to federal, state, and local governments about who should be vaccinated first. CDC’s recommendations are based on those from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), an independent panel of medical and public health experts. (CDC 2021)

Each state has its own plan for deciding who will be vaccinated first and how they can receive vaccines.

In Texas, you can find information here:

https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/coronavirus/immunize/vaccine.aspx

All providers that have received COVID-19 vaccine must immediately vaccinate healthcare workers, Texans over the age of 65, and people with medical conditions that put them at a greater risk of severe disease or death from COVID-19. No vaccine should be kept in reserve. – DSHS Commissioner John Hellerstedt, M.D.

Front-line healthcare workers and residents at long-term care facilities (called Phase 1A) plus people over 65 or with a chronic medical condition that puts them at increased risk for severe illness from COVID‑19 (called Phase 1B) are currently eligible to receive the COVID‑19 vaccine.

• If you are in Phase 1A or 1B, you have two options to get the vaccine: you can get vaccinated at a large vaccine hub or a local vaccine provider.

• Beginning in January, Texas established large vaccination sites or hubs around the state. The goal of these hubs is to provide more people the vaccine and a simpler way to sign up for an appointment.

• Please check the COVID‑19 Vaccination Hub Providers page to find a hub near you and learn how to register. Remember, vaccine supply is still limited in Texas, even though more arrives each week.

Pregnant women have no precedent with the COVID-19 vaccine making many uneasy about receiving the vaccine. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, says that about 10,000 pregnant women in the U.S. have been vaccinated since the Food and Drug Administration authorized two vaccines, and so far, there have been “no red flags.” (Rodriguez 2021)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines say the decision to be vaccinated is up to the mother in consultation with her health care provider.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people go ahead and get the vaccine when it’s their turn, even if they’ve already had COVID-19.

If you’ve had COVID-19, you likely developed some amount of natural immunity to it once you recover. But we don’t yet have a good understanding of how long that natural immunity might last. We think the vaccine can boost your protection without causing any harm. (Chaisson 2021)

COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you from getting COVID-19. You may have some side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building immunities. These aftereffects should be minor, and they should go away in a few days. Here are some common side effects:

On the arm where you got the shot:

• Pain
• Swelling

Throughout the rest of your body:

• Fever
• Chills
• Tiredness
• Headache

(CDC 2021)

The Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines could offer immunity against COVID-19 for up to two to three years. However, they will most likely have to be administered annually. The vaccines will likely protect against current variants of COVID-19 as well as the original virus itself. (Tien 2021)

While more research needs to be done, experts believe you may have to receive the COVID-19 vaccine multiple times throughout your life rather than just once. The vaccines may need to be distributed annually.

“Different COVID-19 Vaccines.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 Jan. 2021, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines.html.

“When Vaccine Is Limited, Who Should Get Vaccinated First?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 8 Jan. 2021, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations.html.

Rodriguez, Adrianna. “Should Pregnant Women Get the COVID-19 Vaccine? Dr. Anthony Fauci Sees ‘No Red Flags’ in Safety Data.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 1 Feb. 2021, www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/02/01/covid-vaccine-pregnant-women-dr-fauci-says-no-red-flags-so-far/4335747001/.

Chaisson, MD, Neal. “Should I Get the Vaccine If I’ve Already Had COVID-19 – and Would My Side Effects Be Worse?” Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic, Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic, 28 Jan. 2021, health.clevelandclinic.org/should-i-get-the-vaccine-if-ive-already-had-covid-19-and-would-my-side-effects-be-worse/.

“What to Expect after Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/expect/after.html.

Tien, Caroline. “Will You Need to Get a COVID-19 Vaccine Every Year?” Verywell Health, 9 Jan. 2021, www.verywellhealth.com/length-of-covid-19-vaccine-immunity-5094857.