If you have a heart condition, you are more likely to get very sick from the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Vaccines given as shots are a powerful way to help prevent you from getting COVID-19.
You might have concerns about the new COVID-19 vaccines. Here are answers to some common questions.
How have the covid-19 vaccine been created so quickly ?
The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health emergency. Manufacturers have responded to this urgent need by developing vaccines for the new coronavirus as quickly and safely as possible.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for protecting the public health in partnership with the United States government and others. The FDA can grant an emergency use authorization (EUA) to a manufacturer if it provides enough evidence that a vaccine is safe and effective.
Are these Vaccines safe ?
The COVID-19 vaccines are being held to the same standards used to assess the safety and effectiveness of other vaccines currently available in the United States. The only COVID-19 vaccines the FDA will approve for use are those that meet these standards.
The approval process has many layers. In addition to a careful review by the FDA, independent scientific and public health experts study the safety and efficacy data to offer input on whether the vaccines should be approved.
Even after vaccines are distributed, monitoring for safety will continue.
It is quite likely that your doctors and other clinicians you trust every day already have received these vaccines.
How do we know about mRNA vaccine ?
Two COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States – Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna – are messenger RNA, also known as mRNA, vaccines. Researchers have been studying mRNA vaccines for decades.
Unlike other vaccines, mRNA does not use an inactive form of the virus to cause your body to react and learn to defend itself. Instead, mRNA delivers instructions to your body to tell it how to protect itself against the virus.
How are vaccines given ?
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two shots in total. The second shot should be given three or four weeks after the first one.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires only one shot.
Importantly, you cannot get COVID-19 from being vaccinated.
Who can get a vaccine ?
COVID-19 vaccines are now available to everyone who is 5 or older.
Where do I get the vaccine ?
Check with your care provider or nearby drugstore. Visit your local health department’s website to learn your state’s plan.
Everyone 5 years and older can get a COVID-19 vaccine in the United States at no cost.
What health condition make me more likely to get very sick from corona virus ?
People at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 include people with existing:
- Heart conditions
- Lung disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD)
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Cancer
- Illnesses that lower the immune system’s ability to fight infection (for example, people undergoing cancer treatments or organ transplants)
However, experts are still learning about COVID-19. Other medical conditions might also increase your risk, for example moderate-to-severe asthma or being overweight.