COVID-19 vaccines – what to expect: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

By Julie R. Ball 3 years ago

COVID-19 vaccines are made use of to boost the body’s immune process and defend from COVID-19. These vaccines are a vital resource to assistance prevent the COVID-19 pandemic.

Understand what to anticipate before and just after you are vaccinated for COVID-19.

In advance of YOU GET THE VACCINE

Check out with your condition health and fitness department to find out when you are eligible to get a vaccine. You really should be able to find out how to sign up for a vaccine and at what site. You can also check the CDC VaccineFinder to find out wherever to get a vaccine in your spot.

In advance of you go to your appointment, check your confirmation emails to find out what you may perhaps have to have to carry to the appointment. For instance, you may perhaps have to have your driver’s license or other ID or proof of eligibility.

If you acquire any medications, you really should preserve taking them as you usually do. If you acquire medications that have an effect on the immune process, converse with your health and fitness care service provider to find out if acquiring the COVID-19 vaccine will function or lead to any problems for you.

You really should not acquire in excess of-the-counter suffering relievers this kind of as aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen to assistance avoid aspect results before you get the vaccine. It is not regarded if these medications will have an effect on how well the vaccine is effective. On the other hand, if you acquire these medications on a regular basis for other explanations, you can acquire them as you usually do.

You really should also not acquire antihistamines to assistance avoid an allergic reaction before you get the vaccine.

If you have any issues about your medications, request your health and fitness care service provider or the vaccine service provider.

In the course of YOUR VACCINE APPOINTMENT

You will have to have to have on a mask at the vaccination internet site the total time. Everybody else at the internet site will also have to have on a mask. Try out to stay at least 6 ft away from some others at all instances.

Soon after you get your vaccine, you will wait around at the vaccination internet site for fifteen minutes to make absolutely sure you do not have a severe allergic reaction to the shot (this is quite rare). If you have experienced a preceding severe allergic reaction or if you have experienced an speedy reaction to immunizations in the past, you may perhaps have to have to wait around for 30 minutes as a precaution. Vaccination web sites are equipped to supply speedy care for severe allergic reactions and call for unexpected emergency medical care.

At your appointment, you will very likely routine the day of your second dose if you are getting a two-dose vaccine. You really should receive a vaccination card that tells you what vaccine you received and the day and site you received it. Be absolutely sure to preserve this card if essential for upcoming use. You will have to have to carry it with you for your second dose if you are getting a two-dose vaccine.

You really should call the vaccination service provider internet site:

  • If you did not get a vaccination card or you reduce your card
  • If you did not routine an appointment for a second dose
  • If you have to have to reschedule your second dose

You can also call your condition health and fitness department if you have issues about COVID-19 vaccinations.

COVID-19 VACCINE TIMING

If you got one particular of the two-dose vaccines, you will have to have to receive your second dose within a precise number of weeks. You have to have to get the exact kind (model) of vaccine for your second dose as you got for your first.

  • If you got the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, you really should get your second Pfizer shot about 21 times (3 weeks) just after the first shot.
  • If you got the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, you really should get your second Moderna shot about 28 times (4 weeks) just after the first shot.
  • The working day you get your first shot, you will very likely also routine the day for your second shot.
  • It will take time for your immune process to start protecting you just after getting the vaccine. You are thought of fully vaccinated two weeks just after your second dose.

If you got the one-dose vaccine:

  • You only have to have one particular shot for this vaccine to defend you from COVID-19.
  • It will take time for your immune process to start protecting you just after getting the vaccine. You are thought of fully vaccinated two weeks just after your shot.

You are not fully vaccinated if it has been considerably less than two weeks considering the fact that your one-dose shot or your second two-dose shot. You are not fully vaccinated if you have only received one dose of a two-dose vaccine.

Completely vaccinated men and women can resume things to do without the need of sporting a mask or physically distancing, except wherever needed by federal, condition, local, tribal, or territorial legislation, procedures, and polices, which include local company and office steerage.

The CDC has tips for what it is safe and sound to do when you are fully vaccinated.

VACCINE Facet Effects

When COVID-19 vaccines will not make you sick, they may perhaps lead to selected aspect results and flu-like indications. This is typical. These indications are a sign that your physique is earning antibodies from the virus.

Popular aspect results consist of:

  • Agony, redness, and swelling on the arm wherever you got the shot
  • Tiredness
  • Headache
  • Muscle suffering
  • Chills
  • Fever
  • Nausea

Some men and women get a red, itchy, swollen, agonizing rash in the arm wherever they got the shot. This is regarded as “COVID arm.” This can come about times just after acquiring the first shot. You really should continue to get your second shot if you got a two-dose vaccine. You can request to have it in the other arm.

To assistance ease aspect results you really should:

  • Move the arm wherever you got the shot often for the duration of the working day
  • Use a cleanse, interesting washcloth to relieve swelling and pain
  • Consume plenty of fluids
  • Dress flippantly if you have a fever

Observe that the aspect results from the second dose may perhaps be additional rigorous than individuals from the first shot. Signs or symptoms from the shot may perhaps make you feel undesirable adequate that you have to have to acquire time off from function or everyday things to do, but they really should go away within a few times. Even if you do have aspect results, it is continue to vital to get the second shot. The risks of any aspect results from the vaccine are considerably considerably less hazardous than the prospective for serious ailment or demise from COVID-19.

You may perhaps be instructed by the vaccine service provider that you can acquire acetaminophen or an additional OTC drugs this kind of as ibuprofen or aspirin to assistance ease any vaccine aspect results. Or, converse with your health practitioner about taking OTC drugs if you are not absolutely sure.

If indications do not go away in a few times, or if you have any issues, you really should call your health and fitness care service provider.

In rare cases, men and women have experienced severe and non-severe allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccines. If you have a severe or non-severe allergic reaction just after acquiring the first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, you really should not get the second shot. Discuss with your health and fitness care service provider to see if there are other options.

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