How do I know the vaccine is safe?

Every vaccine goes through extensive clinical trials and monitoring to identify effectiveness, potential side effects, or safety concerns before it is approved for public use, and the COVID-19 vaccine is no different.

The COVID-19 vaccine is designed like many other vaccines to teach your body to fight infection. Sometimes, this can cause a spike in fever or other symptoms that signal your body is building immunity. Some recipients have reported effects of the immune response the vaccine triggers, like soreness at the injection site or fatigue.

Any potential side effects are required by law to be reported by the drug manufacturer. So far, none of the approved vaccines have reported any significant safety concerns in their trials.

The CDC also has an app called "V-Safe" that allows users to report any side effects experienced after receiving the vaccine.

Monitoring of potential side effects will be on-going as the vaccine is distributed, with mandatory reporting of any adverse effects to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) and the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD).

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1. Where can I get a vaccine?
2. Can children receive the vaccine?
3. Where can I get more information about COVID-19 vaccines?
4. Why should I get the vaccine?
5. What are the side effects from the vaccine?
6. How do I know the vaccine is safe?
7. Will the vaccine give me COVID-19? Or make me sick?
8. If I get the vaccine, am I immune to COVID-19?
9. What will the vaccine cost?
10. If I’ve been diagnosed with COVID-19, can I still get the vaccine?
11. Can I get the vaccine if I have COVID or have had another vaccine recently?
12. What is a booster dose?
13. Do I need to have an appointment to get a vaccine?