(1) How the Vaccines are Given
The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccine are given as an injection in the upper arm, and requires two doses. You need both doses to get the full protective benefit of the vaccine. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine requires one dose.
(2) The Vaccine is Safe and Effective
In large clinical trials, the vaccines has been shown to be at least 94.5% effective in protecting people from getting COVID-19. Most side effects are mild to moderate and resolve quickly. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine received full FDA approval in August 2021.
(3) Most Common Side Effects
The most common side effects are mild-to-moderate pain at the site of the injection, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills or fever.
(4) How the Vaccines Work
The COVID-19 vaccine does not contain any actual virus, which means you cannot get COVID-19 from the vaccine.
(5) For Other Information
CDC’s Vaccine Information Hub