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

COVID-19 vaccines are used to improve the body’s immune process and defend versus COVID-19. These vaccines are a very important tool to support cease the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

In advance of YOU GET THE VACCINE

Check with your state well being section to find out when you are eligible to get a vaccine. You must be able to find out how to indicator up for a vaccine and at what locale. You can also check out the CDC VaccineFinder to find out in which to get a vaccine in your location.

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

If you just take any medicines, you must preserve using them as you ordinarily do. If you just take medicines that have an effect on the immune process, speak with your well being care service provider to find out if receiving the COVID-19 vaccine will operate or bring about any difficulties for you.

You must not just take about-the-counter soreness relievers these types of as aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen to support stop side consequences before you get the vaccine. It is not regarded if these medicines will have an effect on how well the vaccine operates. On the other hand, if you just take these medicines regularly for other good reasons, you can just take them as you usually do.

You must also not just take antihistamines to support stop an allergic response before you get the vaccine.

If you have any concerns about your medicines, check with your well being care service provider or the vaccine service provider.

Throughout YOUR VACCINE APPOINTMENT

You will want to don a mask at the vaccination internet site the entire time. Every person else at the internet site will also have to don a mask. Try out to continue to be at minimum six feet away from some others at all times.

Right after you get your vaccine, you will wait around at the vaccination internet site for 15 minutes to make certain you do not have a intense allergic response to the shot (this is incredibly unusual). If you have had a preceding intense allergic response or if you have had an instant response to immunizations in the past, you may perhaps want to wait around for 30 minutes as a precaution. Vaccination internet sites are equipped to deliver instant care for intense allergic reactions and connect with for crisis health-related care.

At your appointment, you will very likely schedule the date of your second dose if you are receiving a 2-dose vaccine. You must acquire a vaccination card that tells you what vaccine you gained and the date and locale you gained it. Be certain to preserve this card if essential for potential use. You will want to deliver it with you for your second dose if you are receiving a 2-dose vaccine.

You must speak to the vaccination service provider internet site:

• If you did not get a vaccination card or you eliminate your card
• If you did not schedule an appointment for a second dose
• If you want to reschedule your second dose

You can also speak to your state well being section if you have concerns about COVID-19 vaccinations.

COVID-19 VACCINE TIMING

If you received one of the 2-dose vaccines, you will want to acquire your second dose in a precise quantity of weeks. You want to get the exact type (brand name) of vaccine for your second dose as you received for your initial.

• If you received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, you must get your second Pfizer shot about 21 times (3 weeks) following the initial shot.
• If you received the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, you must get your second Moderna shot about 28 times (4 weeks) following the initial shot.
• The working day you get your initial shot, you will very likely also schedule the date for your second shot.
• It normally takes time for your immune process to begin defending you following receiving the vaccine. You are regarded as completely vaccinated 2 weeks following your second dose.

If you received the 1-dose vaccine:

• You only want one shot for this vaccine to defend you versus COVID-19.
• It normally takes time for your immune process to begin defending you following receiving the vaccine. You are regarded as completely vaccinated 2 weeks following your shot.

You are not completely vaccinated if it has been significantly less than 2 weeks due to the fact your 1-dose shot or your second 2-dose shot. You are not completely vaccinated if you have only gained 1 dose of a 2-dose vaccine.

Fully vaccinated people can resume activities without having carrying a mask or physically distancing, besides in which required by federal, state, nearby, tribal, or territorial legal guidelines, regulations, and rules, like nearby company and workplace steerage.

The CDC has tips for what it is protected to do once you are completely vaccinated.

VACCINE Side Effects

When COVID-19 vaccines will not make you unwell, they may perhaps bring about certain side consequences and flu-like signs. This is ordinary. These signs are a indicator that your entire body is generating antibodies versus the virus.

Typical side consequences contain:

• Pain, redness, and inflammation on the arm in which you received the shot
• Tiredness
• Headache
• Muscle soreness
• Chills
• Fever
• Nausea

Some people get a red, itchy, swollen, painful rash in the arm in which they received the shot. This is regarded as “COVID arm.” This can take place times following receiving the initial shot. You must however get your second shot if you received a 2-dose vaccine. You can check with to have it in the other arm.

To support decrease side consequences you must:

• Move the arm in which you received the shot normally during the working day
• Utilize a clean, interesting washcloth to relieve inflammation and distress
• Consume lots of fluids
• Costume frivolously if you have a fever

Take note that the side consequences from the second dose may perhaps be much more intensive than individuals from the initial shot. Signs and symptoms from the shot may perhaps make you experience lousy ample that you want to just take time off from operate or day by day activities, but they must go away in a couple of times. Even if you do have side consequences, it is however critical to get the second shot. The challenges of any side consequences from the vaccine are far significantly less unsafe than the opportunity for major illness or loss of life from COVID-19.

You may perhaps be instructed by the vaccine service provider that you can just take acetaminophen or a different OTC medicine these types of as ibuprofen or aspirin to support decrease any vaccine side consequences. Or, speak with your health care provider about using OTC medicine if you are not certain.

If signs do not go away in a couple of times, or if you have any considerations, you must speak to your well being care service provider.

In unusual circumstances, people have had intense and non-intense allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccines. If you have a intense or non-intense allergic response following receiving the initial shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, you must not get the second shot. Converse with your well being care service provider to see if there are other options.