COVID-19 VACCINE BASICS
The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, and it works.
A vaccine is designed to prevent diseases. There are two COVID-19 vaccines currently available. Both COVID-19 vaccines tell your body how to recognize and fight the virus. The vaccines are called mRNA vaccines. The COVID-19 vaccines cannot give you COVID-19.
The COVID-19 vaccines were carefully tested before being approved for emergency use. It is important that our diverse communities were included in the COVID-19 vaccine studies by Pfizer and Moderna. More than 32,000 Black, Latinx, American Indian, and Asian people participated in these studies. We know that these communities are often excluded from benefits of medicine but experience ongoing and historical racism, medical trauma, and abuse. These factors worsen the impact of COVID-19 for these communities and emphasize the need for a safe and effective vaccine for all.
WHY SHOULD YOU GET THE COVID-19 VACCINE?
• Protect yourself from COVID-19.
• Support your community.
Help keep businesses, schools, and other places open.
• The vaccine is FREE for everyone. Insurance and immigration status does not matter.
• Help put an end to the pandemic.
What to expect when you get the vaccine
• People trained to give the vaccine will walk you through the process.
• You need to get two doses to be protected. The person who gives you the vaccine will tell you when to get your second dose. Both doses must be the same kind of vaccine.
• You will be monitored after you get the vaccine for any serious side effects.
• You will receive a vaccine card when you get your vaccine. This will identify which kind of vaccine you got (Pfizer or Moderna). This is important for your second dose.
• It is your choice to get the vaccine.
Who can get the vaccine?
Everyone 16 years and older is recommended to get the COVID-19 vaccine when it is available to them. This includes people
with medical conditions, who have had COVID-19, and those of different ages, races, and ethnicities. The vaccine is safe for people who are pregnant and those with weak immune systems, but they should talk to their doctor before getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
Minnesota has a plan to give the first, limited doses of vaccine to those who are at highest risk to get COVID-19 and/or to get very sick from COVID-19.
We will provide updates through many news channels for who can get vaccinated, when they can get vaccinated, and where they can get vaccinated.
SIDE EFFECTS
Some people have side effects after getting the vaccine. Side effects usually last one or two days and usually do not prevent you from daily activities. You may have:
• SORE ARM
• MUSCLE ACHES
• TIREDNESS
• HEADACHE
• FEVER/CHILLS
If you have serious side effects, go to a hospital or call 911.
Keep yourself and others safe
It will take a long time for everyone to get vaccinated. Even after being vaccinated, you still have to do all these things to help keep your community safe:
Wear a Wash your Stay 6 feet Stay home if mask. hands. from others. you feel sick.
THE VACCINE DOES NOT HAVE:
• Preservatives
• Pork products or gelatin
• COVID-19 live virus