It’s worth it.
COVID vaccinations from someone you know.
Does it really matter if you get the COVID-19 vaccine? After all, you are just one person. The truth is it makes a very big difference. When you get vaccinated, one person in our community is healthier. One person is safer. One person is less likely to end up in the hospital. The positive impact of getting vaccinated is worth the time, worth the effort and worth it to us – because you’re worth it to us.
We understand that you may have questions, concerns and hesitations about getting vaccinated against COVID-19. We are here to help. Let us answer a few of the most common questions.
While the COVID-19 vaccine does NOT make you sick with COVID-19, you may experience mild side effects including soreness in the arm that received the shot, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills and fever. Side effects typically last no more than 24 hours.
No. The COVID-19 vaccines were developed using science that has been around for decades and have undergone the most intense Food & Drug Administration safety monitoring in U.S. history. Already, more than 400 million doses have been administered safely and effectively.
There are currently three vaccines available: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen. All three are safe, effective and reduce your risk of severe illness. Medical experts are not recommending one vaccine over another.
| Vaccine Brand Name | Qualifying ages | How many shots required | Full Vaccination |
| Pfizer-BioNTech | 12+ years | 2 shots / 21 days apart | 14 days after second shot |
| Moderna | 18+ years | 2 shots / 28 days apart | 14 days after second shot |
| J&J/Janssen | 18+ years | 1 shot | 14 days after shot |
No. COVID-19 vaccines cannot cause infection in anyone, including the mother or the baby, and the vaccines have proven to be effective at preventing COVID-19 in people who are breastfeeding. Recent studies have shown that breastfeeding mothers who have received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have antibodies in their breastmilk, which could help to protect the baby.
While vaccinations are not 100% effective against COVID-19 infection, they reduce the risk of serious illness and/or hospitalization by up to 97%.
NO. None of the authorized COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. contain the live virus that causes COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccine cannot make you sick with COVID-19.
To date, the chance of a negative reaction between the COVID-19 vaccine and other medications is extremely small. Neighborhood Health, or your physician would be glad to monitor you after receiving the vaccination.
While your body did produce antibodies against COVID-19 during your infection, studies have shown that full vaccination is still 2x more effective at preventing you from getting COVID-19 again.
Current evidence suggests that the risk of a newborn getting COVID-19 from their mother is low, especially when the mother takes steps (such as wearing a mask and washing hands) to prevent spread before and during care of the newborn.
While indoor mask-wearing is NOT a mandate in Indiana, the CDC recommends for everyone to wear a mask when indoors, or in “areas of substantial or high transmission.”
All viruses constantly change through mutation, and new variants emerge and disappear. The best way to slow the emergence of new variants is to reduce the spread of infection by taking measures to protect yourself, including vaccination.
While influenza (flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory diseases, they are caused by different viruses. In order to be fully protected, both flu and COVID-19 vaccinations are strongly recommended to prevent serious infection or hospitalization.
While recent studies have shown the protection provided by vaccines does decrease over time, the COVID-19 vaccine remains the best defense against the virus. Currently, the CDC recommends that seniors or people with pre-existing conditions consult with their physician about getting a booster shot 6 months after completing their initial vaccine series.
Indiana law says that an employer “must reasonably accommodate religious exemptions if it can do so without undue hardship to the employer’s business.” However, many legal experts believe the risk of exposure to COVID-19 through unvaccinated workers presents an employer with cause to enforce a workplace vaccine mandate. Currently, most prominent religious leaders fully support vaccines and the modern science behind them.
Scientists have been working for many years to develop vaccines against viruses like the one that causes COVID-19. This knowledge helped speed up the initial development of the current COVID-19 vaccines. All vaccines in the United States must go through three phases of clinical trials to make sure they are safe and effective. During the development of COVID-19 vaccines, phases overlapped to speed up the process, but all phases were completed. Before vaccines are available to people, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) assesses the findings from clinical trials. FDA determined that three COVID-19 vaccines met FDA’s safety and effectiveness standards. This allowed the vaccines to be quickly distributed to control the pandemic
The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality ensure that the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is safe for everyone 5 years of age and older. The vaccines for the younger children ages 5-11 years old will have a lower dose appropriate for their age, and which has shown to be >90% effective against serious Covid infection.
Pfizer has already completed the pediatric testing, showing it is safe to administer to children under the age of 18. Moderna is in the process of doing the same.
Professional medical organizations serving people of reproductive age, including adolescents, emphasize that there is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccination causes a loss of fertility. These organizations also recommend COVID-19 vaccination for people who may consider getting pregnant in the future.
Evidence about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy has been growing. The data suggests that pregnant and recently pregnant people are more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19 compared with non-pregnant people, and that the benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine outweigh any known or potential risks of vaccination during pregnancy. There is currently no evidence that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, cause fertility problems in women or men.
If I was pregnant with my first dose and got my 2nd dose after delivering, will this affect my baby?
Evidence about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy has been growing. The data suggests that pregnant and recently pregnant people are more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19 compared with non-pregnant people, and that the benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine outweigh any known or potential risks of vaccination during pregnancy.
A third booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for seniors and people with pre-existing conditions. Currently, booster doses are not mandatory.