A: The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is fully approved by the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are being issued under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the FDA. An EUA makes the vaccine available for public health emergencies. It means that the vaccine is available outside of a research study but has not yet reached full FDA approval, which takes some time. This is the typical first step for a new vaccine. The research continues as it moves toward full approval.

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheet

Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheet

Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheet

A: Because COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials only started in the summer of 2020, it is not yet clear if these vaccines will have long-term side effects. However, vaccines rarely cause long-term side effects.

A: If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you may choose to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Recent data shows that the benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine for pregnant people outweigh any known or potential risks. Vaccination during pregnancy may help transfer protective antibodies to the baby through the placenta and breastmilk. These antibodies may lower the chance of the baby getting COVID-19. If you have concerns, talk to your health care provider about the risks and benefits.

A: No. People who want to get pregnant in the future may receive the COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 vaccines are being studied carefully now and will continue to be studied for many years, similar to other vaccines. There is no evidence that the vaccine affects fertility.

A: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a neurological disorder in which the body’s immune system damages nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. General best practices for immunization do not include a history of GBS as a contraindication to vaccination; it is a precaution for influenza vaccines and tetanus-toxoid containing vaccines in limited situations. Reports of adverse events following use of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine under EUA suggest an increased risk of GBS during the 42 days following vaccination. No increased risk of GBS has been identified with mRNA vaccines during use under EUA. People with a history of GBS can receive any currently FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine. However, given the possible association between the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine and an increased risk of GBS, a patient with a history of GBS and their clinical team should discuss the availability of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines to offer protection against COVID-19.

A: No, the COVID vaccines do not change or interact with your DNA in any way. Vaccines teach our immune system how to fight against a specific virus. They work with the body’s natural defenses to safely develop immunity to disease. In order to do its job, the COVID-19 vaccine does not need to go inside the nucleus of the cell, which is where our DNA is. This means the vaccine never interacts with our DNA in any way and has no way to change it.

A: This is false. There is not a microchip in the vaccine and the vaccine will not track people or gather personal information into a database.

A: The Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech are mRNA vaccines that use tiny parts called messenger RNA (mRNA) carried in very tiny lipid particles. The Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines differ in the way the mRNA is built or the way the lipids are used. The two vaccines are also stored in different ways, but each requires two doses. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a vector vaccine, which places genetic material from the COVID-19 virus inside a weakened version of the adenovirus that cannot cause illness. Adenoviruses are very common viruses that usually cause colds. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires a single dose.

A: Some people may experience side effects after receiving a vaccination. However, this is a normal sign that your body is building protection. The most common side effects are minor and include tiredness, headache, pain at the injection site, muscle pain, chills, nausea or fever. Any side effects should subside within a few days.

A: Vaccines go through more testing than any other pharmaceuticals. First, small groups of people receive a trial vaccine. Next, the vaccine is administered to people with certain characteristics such as age, race and health. The vaccine is then given to tens of thousands of people and tested for effectiveness and safety. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) studies the data to determine if the vaccine works and is safe. The FDA then looks at the data and the advice from the ACIP and decides whether to approve the vaccine. The vaccine is only approved after all of these steps have been completed, and when the experts are sure that the vaccine is safe and effective. In fact, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is now FDA approved.

A: No, there are no toxic ingredients in vaccines. The FDA ensures that the vaccine is pure and sterile, and they monitor this on an ongoing basis requiring test batches.

A: While research suggests that COVID-19 vaccines are slightly less effective against the variants, the vaccines still appear to provide protection against severe COVID-19.

A: COVID-19 vaccination will protect most people from getting sick with COVID-19. A very small percentage of fully vaccinated people may still get COVID-19 if they are exposed to the virus. These are breakthrough cases. The overall risk of hospitalization and death due to COVID-19 is much lower in vaccinated individuals than among unvaccinated people with similar risk factors.

A: Yes, people who have previously had COVID-19 should get vaccinated. Even if you have already recovered from COVID-19, it is possible to contract COVID again. However, vaccinated individuals are protected against severe disease and death.